A Story of Vengeance
by Esashar
Summary: Perhaps he should have let it go. Perhaps he should have moved on. But one thing the Copy-Ninja does not do is abandon his friends. Not in life and certainly not in death. However his task will not be easy when the one he's after wants to see him dead.
1. Target

Chapter 1

Target

The heel of his enemy's boot pressed harder into Kakashi's already damaged throat. Right now, the Copy-Ninja wanted nothing more than to take a kunai, drive it deep into the bastard's leg and use the surprise created to finish off this piece of scum once and for all. But such a move had long since passed beyond his current range of capabilities. His weapons were all out of reach. And even if this hadn't been the case, Kakashi doubted that he would have been able to raise his arms far enough to carry out the necessary action. He'd already pushed his body well beyond the point of total exhaustion. He could no longer even feel the extent of his injuries. Only a vague pressure as his throat was forcibly constricted.

Was this what the only woman who'd ever truly loved him had died for? So that he could fail her once again? And would he be forced to pay for it with the death of one of the few loved ones he had left? Because from this position it was becoming increasingly clear that his comrade's desperate pleas for help would have to remain unanswered. After everything: the years, the loss, the unbearable regret, Kakashi realised that in the end, he'd die as he'd lived; a failure.

The beginning of this fatal mission seemed like an age ago now. He should have realised that this would've happened from the moment the Hokage had handed him that scroll. A part of him had always known that the next time he set foot in this accursed land, it would be his last. And had his throat allowed, Kakashi would have laughed with scorn at the hope that had so briefly been kindled in his heart. It had always been a fool's hope. To solve a murder so long after it had been written off as a freak accident was madness. It'd been a suicide mission from the start. But he knew that this had been about so much more than simply completing the mission. And it'd even been about more than just closure. In his heart, Kakashi knew the truth. It had been about revenge.

* * *

"This mission is of the utmost importance," Tsunade's voice was stern as she handed Kakashi the scroll.

The Copy-Ninja met her gaze impassively and settled into his most relaxed slouch. "I thought all S-rank missions were of the utmost importance."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean, Brat. You're the only one capable of doing this."

"Right," Kakashi nodded. "I won't fail."

Tsunade smirked. "Well obviously. You never fail."

Kakashi didn't respond. He wasn't going to argue with her, so instead he turned and left the office. Did she actually think that he'd never failed a mission? Well that was more or less what the village records seemed to believe. But the cost at which some of those successes had been bought, denied them the right to be labelled 'SUCCESS' at all. Still, if it gave her peace of mind then the Hokage was welcome to believe whatever she wanted. More importantly, Kakashi was interested to see what was so vital about this assignment.

As the Jonin left the building, he steadily unrolled the document. And as he read his destination, the Copy-Ninja's heart missed a beat.

_Mission __to the __Land __of __Frost_

"Shit," he whispered.

He knew he couldn't avoid that place for ever, even though he'd managed to do so quite successfully for the last decade or so. In fact, Kakashi was well aware that the Third Hokage had purposely never sent him to that land again – after what had happened the last time. But this was the Fifth Hokage, and if he was the only one who could successfully carry out this task, then Kakashi would just have to put the past behind him. He was a shinobi after all; he couldn't afford to be anything other than objective.

With perfectly steady hands, Kakashi opened the document fully:

_Mission __to the __Land __of __Frost__:_

_S-Rank_

_Status: Urgent_

_Task: Assassination_

_Target: Undisclosed_

That really wasn't much to go on by any standard. So Kakashi had to assume that before he could carry out the task, he'd first have to somehow deduce who the target was. This wasn't the first time he'd been given an infuriatingly cryptic mission, and probably wouldn't be the last. But that certainly didn't mean he had to like it.

The Jonin made preparations to leave straight away. It was urgent after all, and delaying would only cause his reservations to grow. But nothing would remove those reservations completely. Now that he thought about it, Kakashi realised that it had been exactly eleven years since he'd last set foot in that wretched place. And somehow, the Copy-Ninja knew that this was no coincidence.

* * *

The eternally optimistic part of Might Guy's mind was currently informing him that he'd just broken a personal record for time spent non-stop running. However, the slightly more analytical side of his brain was mainly concerned about the shinobi pursuing him. Even Konoha's Noble Green Beast wasn't permitted to go on solo S-rank missions all that often. And if he ever hoped to equal his Eternal Rival then failure now was not an option.

He had to get back to Konoha as quickly as possible, mainly because there was a chance that his rival's life depended on it. Based on what he'd overheard, these people were out to get Kakashi. Guy wasn't sure why, but he had to warn his friend before he found out any other way. The Jonin was immensely thankful that the route back from this mission had taken him past where this group had just happened to be congregating. Fortunately they'd seemed at first not to notice his presence, which had enabled Guy to hear that they intended to eliminate the Copy-Ninja. At this point, however, Guy had accidentally forgotten that he was meant to be acting with discretion. His instincts had caused him to immediately sprint off in the direction of the village in order to warn his rival. But unfortunately this action had been rather detectable, and thus he was now being chased by the group who presumably did not want the information he'd gathered to reach Konoha.

As the hours drove on, Guy had no choice but to be impressed by his pursuers' stamina. He could still sense their chakra behind him, even though he was managing to keep a fair ways ahead. In fact, thinking about it, Guy realised that the distance between himself and the enemy had not changed at all since the chase had begun. When he'd increased his speed, they'd done so by the same amount. He didn't know if this would have been the case had he slowed because he hadn't done so. Konoha's Green Beast does not slow down. And he certainly does not rest, regardless of how long he's been running for.

Guy still had all of the eight gates accessible to him if a sudden burst of speed was necessary. But the current challenge that he'd set himself was to lose his pursuers without the use of jutsu. Thus the eight gates would only be called upon as a last resort – if the life of someone he loved was directly at risk.

The fault with this logic, however, was that all those he loved were safely back in Konoha – where he was heading. And he was determined to make it before the ninja caught up with him, but it almost seemed as though catching up with him wasn't their aim. In fact, Guy got the vague sense that these ninja weren't actually chasing him at all. But what else could they be doing?

Desperately Guy tried to think. It was at times like these that having a brain like his Eternal Rival would really have come in handy. Then suddenly, as if the thought of Kakashi had given him the inspiration he needed, Guy found the missing piece. Now it all made sense! These ninja weren't pursuing him at all. They were following him! And it had taken him nearly twenty-four hours to realise.

Also, if this group truly was the enemy, then bringing them straight to the village was probably not a brilliant idea. But why did they need to follow him in order to get to Konoha? Most ninja targeting a specific location would at least have bothered to look that location up on a map first. And he would have thought that having a target like the Copy-Ninja would require especial preparation. Unless he'd been mistaken, and had heard wrongly – even though he prided himself on his acute hearing, second only to that of his Eternal Rival. Still, if he had genuinely misheard, then maybe these weren't enemies at all and were in fact just a group of people who had gotten lost on their way to the village. But then surely they could simply have asked for directions, and he would have been more than happy to oblige.

Guy realised then that he'd gotten distracted from his main argument and tried to trace his train of thought back. Then he got distracted again as he suddenly noticed that he'd passed into Land of Fire territory. He was getting closer to Konoha by the second, which meant that so were the group behind him. It was then that Guy finally remembered the fact that he'd been on the brink of deciding not to lead potential enemies right to their target. If he wanted to find out just what was going on, he'd have to wait and let them come to him.

And so that was exactly what Might Guy decided to do. He called this 'tactical planning' and would hope that no one ever referred to it as 'taking a break'. Fortunately the group in the distance continued to advance, even though he himself was no longer moving. And each moment brought Guy closer to finding out their true intentions. All he had to do now was wait.

* * *

Kakashi had been travelling for about an hour now. The sun was winding its way slowly towards the western sky, and the Jonin was keen to be out of the Land of Fire by nightfall. If he managed to maintain a good pace then he'd be able to reach the Land of Frost in under three days. Needless to say, he wanted to complete this mission as soon as possible.

The Copy-Ninja was trying to keep his mind solely focussed on calculating his route and approximating timings. This would leave no room for other less helpful thoughts. Doubts had no place on an S-rank mission. But neither did the unexpected sound of footsteps running towards him, or the sudden appearance of a certain unmistakable spandex-clad Jonin. What in Gods' names was Guy doing here?

The ninja in question was far enough away – and apparently sufficiently distracted – that he appeared oblivious to Kakashi's presence. The chronically energetic shinobi had stopped running and was clearly exhausted. He seemed to be trying to hide it, though who from was anybody's guess. He kept peering off into the distance as if expecting a third party's arrival. Kakashi realised that his friend probably wouldn't notice him any time soon, so he decided that he might as well greet the Jonin.

"I didn't expect to see you here, Guy," Kakashi called as he walked towards his viridian-clad comrade.

Instantly Guy spun around, a kunai clasped in his hand. His body flickered out of sight and Kakashi knew without needing his Sharingan where his self-proclaimed rival would next appear. The Copy-Ninja dodged to one side and shot out a hand to still the kunai, which, had he been a fraction of a second slower, would now be embedded in his chest.

For a moment both Jonin were perfectly still, but as Kakashi met Guy's fierce glare, recognition finally dawned on his friend's face. The kunai fell to the ground and the Copy-Ninja quickly released his grip on Guy's arm, even as his comrade's expression became one of sincerest remorse.

"My Eternal Rival! I should have known it was you. I'm so sorry. Of course it's only natural that I couldn't sense your approach. But to attack you like this is most uncivilised of me. Even climbing every tree in this forest with my arms tied behind my back wouldn't adequately make up for my thoughtless response to your kind greeting!"

Kakashi sighed and tried to remember why he hadn't just ignored Guy while he'd still had the chance.

"It's fine Guy… really. But what's got you so on edge? It looked as though you were waiting for someone."

Guy's brow furrowed slightly. "It's more than just someone. There's an entire group of them! They've been pursuing me for about twenty-four hours now. When I first encountered them on the way back from a successful S-rank assignment, I overheard them discussing a certain ninja whom they wished to eliminate."

"Oh really?" That piqued Kakashi's interest, even as his heart tried to warn him of what would come next. "And who might that be?"

"I'd rather die a million painful deaths than say such a thing! But I fear I must tell you as the life of my Eternal Rival may be at risk. Kakashi, you're the one they're after!"

Kakashi smirked. "Well that's a surprise."

Clearly this mission had taken a turn for the worse before it'd even truly begun.

Guy sounded close to tears. "It now seems that my masterful plan is doomed to fail!"

Kakashi raised one eyebrow, waiting for his friend to elaborate.

"I thought that instead of leading them right to you in the village, I'd wait here and apprehend them as they passed. But now that you've joined me I see that in fact my actions have only put you in even greater danger. I am no longer worthy of being called a shinobi!"

Kakashi sighed. "Calm down Guy, this isn't your fault. It's obvious that they were trying to get to me, through you."

Guy's face burned with fury. "What? That's despicable! No one uses my Eternal Rival like that!"

Kakashi's slow, deliberate voice provided a counterpoint to Guy's impassioned rambling. "No Guy, you were the one being used. They probably wanted to follow you back to within sight of the village and then engage you, knowing that I'd come to your aid. And presumably they planned to eliminate me under the pretence of a battle. The worrying thing is how they'd known I was about to set off on a mission and so would be in a position to see them before anyone else in Konoha."

Guy's grin was positively blinding, "You would have come to my rescue in my hour of need? That noble behaviour is truly befitting of my Eternal Rival!"

Kakashi decided that there was no point in continuing this discussion any further. Especially considering that his supposed rival clearly hadn't listened to a word he'd said. "Right, well, whatever. Maybe I'll catch you later Guy."

The Copy-Ninja then began to continue on in the direction of this mysterious group. The flamboyant Jonin caught up with him in less than a second. He sounded thoroughly confused.

"Kakashi, where are you going?"

The masked shinobi sighed but did not slow his pace, "If it's true that these people have a problem with me then I'm going to find out what it is. I've got another mission to complete and I can't afford to be looking over my shoulder the whole time, waiting for a group of ninja to attack me."

"That's right!" Guy beamed. "We can take them together!"

Kakashi's tone grew stern as he implored his friend to rein in his enthusiasm. "No Guy. It's apparently me they want to see, not you. By the sounds of it you have a mission report to submit, that is your current priority."

Guy's grin didn't falter one inch. "I hate to be argumentative, Rival, but my only priority right now is your safety."

Kakashi rolled his eyes, wondering for the millionth time whether Guy would ever get over this whole rival thing. It often made him more than impossible to reason with. Clearly some form of compromise would be in order.

"How about this, Guy? If you go and complete your mission report straight away, you can come back after. You'd only be bored if you tagged along now. I want to talk to them first, because this could all be a misunderstanding. And it's certainly no grounds for a competition to see who can eliminate the most enemy ninja."

That last statement seemed to catch Guy's attention and he gave his trademark thumbs-up. "Well in that case, I'll be back before you know it! And if it gets interesting, we will have to see which one of us manages to do the most in countering this potential threat."

Kakashi gave a weary smile, even as his overzealous friend sprinted back towards the village. Perhaps he'd been a little hasty in his judgement. After all, Guy's incorrigible conviction that they were rivals could certainly be useful when it came to getting him out of the way. Although, that said, it'd only been on the condition that he be allowed to return. And if it was someone as ruthlessly efficient as Iruka on the missions' desk, then unfortunately Guy was likely to return a lot sooner than Kakashi would have preferred. Well, whatever was about to happen, Kakashi's only hope was that he could finish it quickly before he put more than just himself in danger.

His plan of leaving Fire territory by nightfall had already failed, and the rapidly unfolding darkness also meant that Kakashi could not even see the ninja awaiting him in the distance. But even from here, the Jonin could sense their chakra – as well as their bloodlust. Whoever these people were, they were clearly not to be taken lightly.

Eventually they came into view, but still as nothing more than remote, shadowy figures. The group stopped running and held their ground as Kakashi closed the distance between them. And when the moon's pale light finally broke through the overcast sky, it was enough to illuminate the Copy-Ninja's latest adversaries. At a guess, Kakashi would have said that there were about thirty-five of them. Each wore a grey, hooded cloak, which cast their faces into shadow. And every one of them had a white sash tied around their waist, from which hung a curved, single-edged blade. These ninja were all dressed in an identical uniform, except one.

This one stood at the front of the group; his cloak was the colour of newly fallen snow and was tied with a deep purple sash, his clothing stood out royally beside his comrades' dull attire. He had one hand resting comfortably on the hilt of a katana, while a smaller kodachi hung beside this blade. He could only have been their leader. Kakashi was standing less than twenty metres away from the group now, and there was a tempered killing intent radiating from every one of them.

The Jonin sighed internally. His mission hadn't even gotten started yet and already things were going wrong. As usual, the instincts that he'd tried so hard to ignore were proving correct. He'd had a bad feeling about this assignment from the beginning, and right now he strongly felt that the worst was far from over.

The apparent leader raised one hand to the hood of his cloak before drawing it slowly back to reveal an unexpectedly young face. This shinobi couldn't have been a day over eighteen. His features held the hardness of one who resents their own youth; a look that Kakashi had observed in the mirror many times when he'd been still a child. However, there was a simmering fire behind the teenager's muted grey eyes. His lips were tight and the rigidity of his delicately chiselled jaw revealed that he was on edge. Clearly this kid had a goal, one that he would stop at nothing to achieve. His dusty brown hair swept casually across his brow. It partially obscured the symbol on his headband, but Kakashi could still make it out well enough. His heart sank. These were Frost ninja.

Now, the Copy-Ninja knew for sure that he'd be in for a fight, and he was keen to get it over with as soon as possible. But somehow this kid didn't strike him as the reckless type. It didn't seem as though he planned to rush things. However, there was only one way to find out the true extent of this young man's self-control. And so Kakashi decided to draw from the slew of patronising comments that his enemies had directed at him over the years – normally only a matter of moments before they were promptly dispatched.

The Jonin employed his most condescending tone. "What's a kid like you doing out this late? Surely it's past your bedtime."

Kakashi noticed the leader's grip tighten on his katana, but he made no move to draw it. The young man's voice was perfectly calm but it held an edge of steel.

"I know that Kakashi Hatake never underestimates his enemies. And his enemies should never underestimate him. It is clear that you see me as much more than a mere child. You dishonour me by keeping your Sharingan eye covered."

Kakashi wasn't too surprised that the group's young leader hadn't been riled by his taunt. However, the kid had spoken with more confidence, as well as more eloquence than he'd expected. This shinobi was surrounded by an almost tangible air of intelligence and power. And were it not for the sense of an underlying darkness, Kakashi felt that – in other circumstances – they might have gotten on. But as the ninja drew his katana in one hand and his kodachi in the other, Kakashi suspected that it was already too late to diffuse the situation.

Still, the Jonin did not reach for his own weapon, yet. Instead he maintained a decidedly aloof manner as he addressed the group's leader once again. "Clearly you have some business with me. Would you care to discuss it?"

A slight smirk curled at one corner of the leader's lips and a fleeting hint of longing passed through his eyes. "You cannot talk your way out of this fight, Kakashi Hatake."

"Oh well," responded the Jonin lightly, "it was worth a try I suppose."

Without taking his gaze off the leader for a moment, Kakashi reached a hand to his own katana.

The young man's pale eyes narrowed and his face filled with intensity. "It became too late for talking the day you killed my father. I, Kitai Iyoku, will see his legacy restored. I will avenge his death. And you will die today, Copy-Ninja."


	2. Questions

Chapter 2

Questions

Alone at her desk, she contemplated the setting sun. Something felt wrong, very wrong. This wasn't even about the suspiciously large amount of money that she'd won the night before. No, it was a look she'd seen in a certain shinobi's eyes, as she'd watched him set out on an urgent mission. It was a look that she'd never seen him wear before, and hoped never to see again. Of course, had she been there on that night eleven years ago, she would have seen that very same expression. And if she had been there, maybe, just maybe, a terrible tragedy could have been avoided.

* * *

Finally Kakashi understood this group's intentions. If they'd simply wanted to kill him in order to delete his name out of Frost's Bingo Book, then there would've been no way to dissuade them. When out for glory, the Copy-Ninja's enemies were renowned for their determination. In those situations, they would keep fighting until every last one of them was dead. But this was different. Kitai Iyoku had a personal score to settle. That meant that he wasn't blinded by pride and was instead influenced by the pursuit of what he felt to be justice. Justice was a subjective concept at best. Kakashi knew that someone's view of right and wrong could easily be changed, which gave him something to work with at least.

"I'm sorry for your loss," the Jonin began simply, "but how can you be so sure that I was the one who killed your father?"

Kakashi knew that he didn't have to do this. There were at least fifty different strategies in his mind for eliminating the group of ninja in front of him. But murder had never been the Copy-Ninja's first resort. He'd rather it didn't have to come to that. First, the Jonin wanted to find out more about the man whom he'd been accused of murdering. As he strongly suspected that there was more to this group's vengeance than met the eye.

Kitai's voice was cold. "Because I was there when my father gave his dying wish. He told me to avenge his murder by bringing about your death. But I am going to do one better and eliminate the Copy-Ninja within the territory of his own village. Thus humiliating Konoha as well. It was fortunate that you have such an utter fool for a friend. By deciding not to lead us to you, he in fact only led you to us."

Just as Kakashi had thought, this child was yet to learn the golden rule of assassination: never start a conversation with your target.

The Copy-Ninja kept his tone casual, even as the young man took a step towards him. "But unless you knew about both of our missions beforehand, this only worked out in your favour by pure chance."

Of course it was clear that this had all been a part of the group's plan from the beginning, but acting as if he was ignorant made them more likely to reveal their mechanism. And even though it was carefully concealed, Kakashi could discern a smugness in the leader's voice.

"As you are about to die, Copy-Ninja, I'll tell you this. It was we who requested the mission completed by your comrade. And it was no mere coincidence that he overheard our plans, or that his route back from the mission crossed our path and the path you are taking to your current assignment. Thus he was able to inform you of our objective, and you sought us out yourself."

So far, this was as Kakashi had predicted. But he didn't have all the answers yet. "In that case, can I assume that you're responsible for my current mission as well?"

The kid smirked slightly. "Far from it. We have simply found a way of tracking the assignments sent to Konoha. But that particular mission was genuine, and we know as little about it as you do. Our only involvement in that was to cause the scroll to be given to the Hokage two days later than it arrived. This gave your friend enough time to complete his task and be on his way back to the village by the time you embarked."

Kakashi had to admit that he was a little surprised by this. Firstly that they had managed to infiltrate Konoha's missions' office. And secondly that his current mission to the Land of Frost had not been set up by this band of Frost ninja. But he didn't have time to delay them for too long with his questioning. They had to either have returned willingly to Frost – after abandoning their revenge – or all be dead by the time Guy arrived. Because one thing that Kakashi would not allow was for his friend to get caught up in this mess.

Then, all complacency fell away from Kitai's face. It seemed that the young leader had finally realised that his task had been interrupted. His tone was bitter. "You cannot escape death with words, Kakashi Hatake. What use were words to my father when they brought him back to us dead and laid him at my mother's feet? Eleven years have passed, and I still hear her crying in my dreams every night. After you murdered my father, she too gave up on life and eventually ended her own sorrow. She locked herself inside our house and burnt the entire estate to the ground. At first I blamed myself, but had my father not been killed, my mother would have had no need to take her own life. If it weren't for you, both my parents would still be alive. There is no way that I can let you live."

Far from being moved by the kid's tale, Kakashi was pleased that finally Kitai Iyoku had let slip more than he'd intended. As poignant as his story might have been, there was one obvious flaw. If his father had truly been brought back to him dead, then how had he heard the man's last words? Kakashi had always been able to detect a lie simply from observing the one telling it. However it seemed that, so far, everything the kid had said had been true – at least in his own mind. But that would mean Kitai Iyoku genuinely thought that these two incongruous events had both happened. Now the Copy-Ninja knew for sure that something much larger than this young man's revenge was afoot. And in order to get to the bottom of it, Kakashi would first have to dissuade him from pursuing that revenge. The Jonin didn't want to be forced to kill this kid while there were still so many unanswered questions.

Kakashi kept his voice both calm and stern, even though he knew that time was fast running out for him to wrap things up. "And do you expect that killing me will bring your parents back? After you've completed your life's goal, do you really expect anything other than pain to follow? Any joy that you get from killing me will only fade into emptiness and sorrow. What is it that you hope to achieve?"

For a few seconds, the boy was silent. A look of confusion momentarily clouded his eyes. It seemed that the group around him could sense their leader's hesitation. They lowered their hoods and drew their weapons as if to remind him of his goal. At this the kid straightened up and his pale eyes filled with authority once more. Now that Kakashi could see all of the ninja's faces, he realised that the leader was the only one wearing a Frost headband. This intrigued the Copy-Ninja further. But whatever was going on, one thing was for certain: his words had had an effect on the kid. And so, before Kitai had a chance to answer the question, Kakashi continued with what he hoped would be his final speech.

"I understand all too well how it feels to lose parents at such a young age. And I've watched those I love die in front of me more times than I care to mention. I cannot deny that thoughts of revenge have often crossed my mind. But you can't just throw your life away and abandon those you have left for the pursuit of vengeance. I know that right now only my death will satisfy your thirst for revenge. But when all my loved ones were killed, I found comrades and friends to fight and die for. My only goal is to keep them safe, and that is the purpose for which I now live. And it is also why I cannot let you kill me. I only ask that you try to understand where I'm coming from."

Kakashi looked deep into the young man's pale eyes. And finally the Copy-Ninja saw sorrow in his gaze. Now he knew that he'd gotten through to the kid.

When Kitai spoke, it was in a voice much softer than any he'd used so far. "Every man here has entrusted their life to me. They have allowed me to shape their souls in ways beyond the scope of your imagination. And thus I have turned them into creatures driven by a lust for vengeance so strong that it can never truly be sated. And I have become one of these creatures as well. This is not what my father would have wanted. The history of the Iyoku Clan is stained with the blood of cruel and needless deaths. My father sought to restore our clan's honour in the Land of Frost. But it is too late now. Perhaps I have failed as a leader. But as my final action, I will set right the wrongs I have committed. I see now that there is no honour in revenge, only pain. But I must respect my father's dying wish. Thank you for teaching me a valuable lesson, Kakashi Hatake."

Now Kakashi found himself presented with even more impossible riddles. But this was driven far from the Jonin's mind as he felt a sudden change in Kitai's chakra. He uncovered his Sharingan in time to see the young man's internal energy collect rapidly at the centre point of his Keirakukei. The Copy-ninja knew what was about to come, and still had time to escape the jutsu, but he could not move. Memories that had been lost for so long suddenly came flooding back to him. There was no doubt about it. Now Kakashi knew exactly who Kitai Iyoku's father was. The man whom he'd allegedly killed. That despicable, murderous, treacherous man.

With this revelation, Kakashi found himself rooted to the spot. But at that moment, his survival instincts took over. He leapt backwards in time to distance himself from the impending explosion, just as Kitai completed his jutsu. The Frost ninja had not moved; clearly content to die alongside their leader. Kakashi knew that it was too late for him to escape the blast completely. Still lost in thoughts of eleven years ago, the Copy-Ninja accepted this fact. Then everything went black.

* * *

Might Guy was not amused. However much he'd protested that he had an urgent duty to perform, the clerk at the missions' desk had been determined to delay him. Every aspect of his mission report had been deemed insufficient. And after nearly a half-hour of rewriting, the impertinent Chunin had finally agreed to accept it. Of course this may have had something to do with the clerk not wanting to be pushed through the wall of the building. And the Green Beast had made that possibility inescapably clear. He knew that his Eternal Rival would have handled such a situation in a much cooler and more civilised manner. But right now his rival was out there somewhere surrounded by enemies, and so – for once – Guy'd decided to put appearances aside.

He felt fairly confident that he was heading in the right direction. His only hope now was to reach his rival in time to provide the benefit of his youth in a potentially perilous situation. Thoughts of the possible dangers ahead ran through Guy's mind, although they did not daunt him. But then something happened that was enough to instil fear into even Konoha's Most Noble Green Beast.

A deafening noise shook the ground, and all of the surrounding birds launched themselves into the sky. It was clear that up ahead something disastrous had happened. Guy pressed on until, after about ten minutes, he came to a sickening realisation. The air was now rife with the stench of blood and the distinct odour of burnt flesh. The Jonin increased his pace ten-fold, fear gripping his chest. Nothing stirred in the distance, and this only caused Guy's panic to grow. The battle shouldn't have been over yet. Granted he'd taken longer than expected, but surely even his Eternal Rival couldn't wipe out such a large group of enemies in such a short space of time. Although considering the alternative options, Guy severely hoped that this was what had happened.

Then, as he burst through the tree-line, the stench of slaughter intensified to the point that even taking a breath became a nauseating experience. Littering the ground in front of him, Guy saw countless disfigured forms, some completely unrecognisable as human, some still writhing in the final throes of a torturous death. There were two things of which Guy was certain. The first was that these were the remains of the same group he'd encountered earlier. And the second was that it had not been his Eternal Rival who'd killed them. In all the years Guy had known him, he'd never seen Kakashi cause his enemies to suffer this cruelly before death. The Copy-Ninja always carried out his kills with maximum efficiency and minimum pain on the victim's part. And, inspired by this display of humanity, Guy drew a kunai and as he passed each living body he ended the suffering ninja's life as quickly and painlessly as he could.

The Jonin couldn't be sure whether or not he was glad that Kakashi's body was nowhere to be seen among the fallen. He decided that he'd assess his reaction once his friend had been located. It was fairly probable that there'd been an explosion, and all of these enemy ninja had been caught up in it. Guy began to walk out from the discernable epicentre of the blast, all the time scouring the ground for any sign of his Eternal Rival. But as time passed with still no sighting, Guy identified two main possibilities. Either Kakashi had somehow managed to escape the explosion, and even now was on his way back to Konoha, or – and tears rose to Guy's eyes even considering this option – his closest friend's body had passed beyond the point of recognition.

He clenched his fists and willed himself to remain analytical, unaccustomed as he was to suppressing emotion. But as bitter tears clouded his vision, Guy realised that he'd failed. Blinded by grief and the pain of his inadequacy, Guy lost sight of the obstacles in front of him. His foot caught and before he knew what was happening, the Jonin had fallen flat on his face. A moment later however, he thanked the Gods that he had. For as Guy raised his head, he found himself staring straight at the subject of his frantic search, whose body he'd just managed to fall over.

Kakashi was covered in blood. But in the dark Guy couldn't be sure exactly where this blood had come from. He seriously hoped that his rival's inertia was simply due to him being unconscious. It looked as though he'd been blown back by the blast, and although he'd taken the full force of the shockwave, he seemed to have avoided the worst of the scorching conflagration. Kakashi's body lay at the base of a towering pine. But there was a crack through the centre of the trunk, and even now the tree seemed as though it could topple at any moment. Guy had a sinking feeling that it'd been this that had rather harshly broken Kakashi's fall.

The Jonin knelt at his Eternal Rival's side and extended one shaking hand to check for his friend's pulse. He pressed two fingers against Kakashi's neck, trying to ignore the sickening feeling of his friend's blood as it slicked his fingertips. And when finally he felt the weak beat of life in the Copy-Ninja's veins, Guy had no time to indulge in relief. He now had to attend to, or at least try and identify, the worst of Kakashi's injuries.

A deep gash across the Jonin's brow had streaked his silver hair with crimson, and blood was flowing freely down Kakashi's face and neck. This alone would have caused Guy to worry about the potential blood loss that his rival may have suffered. But it was far from his only injury. Both of Kakashi's arms were covered from wrist to shoulder in second and third-degree burns. And Guy noticed – to his horror – that his rival's left leg was bleeding profusely and appeared quite clearly to be broken. Also, by the irregularity of the Jonin's shallow breathing, Guy had to assume that his rival had sustained more than a few cracked ribs.

He was instinctively worried about moving Kakashi's body before his injuries had been fully assessed. But at the same time, Guy absolutely refused to leave Kakashi's side while his friend was so badly injured, and so that essentially ruled out returning to Konoha to get help. This presented the Jonin with something of a conundrum – and he was trying desperately to think of a solution. But every time he looked down at his comrade's wounded body, the sight of his rival's blood drove all other thoughts from Guy's mind.

Then, just as he was beginning to despair, an idea finally revealed itself to Konoha's Green Beast. Guy didn't even allow himself time to bask in the brilliance of his plan, as he gently moved his hand to Kakashi's head wound and ran one finger over the injury. The digit instantly became coated with his rival's blood. Without any further hesitation, Guy went through the series of hand signs that the Copy-Ninja himself had taught him. It was only fitting that Guy should use this technique to aid his rival when he needed it most. After completing the jutsu, Guy slammed his palm into the ground. Instantly the cloud of white smoke showed that the technique had been a success.

And the gruff voice of Kakashi's favoured summon confirmed this. "I hope there's a damn good reason why you're the one summoning me Guy."

The shinobi in question flashed the pug what he felt to be his most charming grin. "Of course! I would never dream of disturbing such a noble canine as yourself unless absolutely necessary. But I'm afraid to say that –"

"The Brat's been injured," Pakkun finished for him.

Guy's grin instantly faded away as he nodded. The summon then noticed his master's body. He let out a soft whimper and moved closer to Kakashi's unconscious form, seemingly inspecting the Copy-Ninja's injuries. The dog then licked some of Kakashi's more serious wounds, cleaning away blood and dirt, before turning back to Guy.

"And I assume you want me to go and fetch a med-team?"

Guy gave his trademark thumbs-up. "Yes! And you can count on me to keep my Eternal Rival safe until you get back."

"Hmm, I hope so."

With that final remark Pakkun bounded off into the distance. He was swallowed up by the darkness within moments. This left Guy alone with his Eternal Rival, and a million unanswered questions. But the only thing that mattered right now was keeping Kakashi safe. It wasn't every day that the Copy-Ninja's life lay entirely in Guy's hands.

* * *

"What do you mean he's been injured?" Tsunade cried, her premonitions of disaster seeming more accurate by the second.

"I didn't realise that statement was confusing," Pakkun responded in his usual derisive tone.

Tsunade would have happily skinned the mutt alive then and there, but she had to know what was going on. The pug had burst into her office – interrupting a well-earned glass of saké – and claimed that his master had been injured. And considering that Kakashi shouldn't have even arrived at his destination yet, let alone carried out the mission, this news was surprising to say the least. But the Hokage had been worried about this assignment from the moment she'd seen the kid's chilling, haunted expression. Kakashi had concealed it as soon as he'd noticed her observing his departure, but it had been etched into Tsunade's mind ever since.

"Now look, mutt," she began in her most menacing tone, "if you value that fur coat of yours, you'd better tell me exactly what's going on here."

Annoyingly Pakkun did not seem intimidated. "Okay, I'll tell you exactly what's going on. Just outside of Konoha Territory, there's been some kind of explosion. And all I know is that the Brat's lying there injured and close to bleeding out. So I would suggest finding the nearest med-team and telling them to get their butts over there before it's too late. Or alternatively, if you're quite finished with that saké, you might want to come and treat him yourself."

Tsunade stared at the pug open-mouthed, her anger temporarily put on hold as she waited for what he'd said to sink in. And when it finally did, she started from her chair and was halfway out the door before Pakkun's voice made her pause.

"Shall I assume you want me to lead you there?"

She rolled her eyes. "Obviously."

If Kakashi was in as bad shape as Pakkun made it sound, then she didn't have time to go and drag a med-team out of their beds. She'd just have to do it herself, and hopefully she had enough chakra to handle the extent of his injuries. Now was not the time to try and figure out what had happened. Tsunade's top priority at the moment was to keep the Brat alive. Only after that, would the Hokage be able to ask Kakashi just what the hell he'd been thinking.


	3. Grief

Chapter 3

Grief

Patiently a man waited. Eventually night would come, and with it freedom. For too many years he'd been hiding in the darkness, biding his time. But finally, after so long, his plan was about to reach fruition. Today was the day, he could feel it. He could feel the chakra, the raw energy, the power he'd created. He was so proud of it. Now he could feel it more strongly than ever before. But then suddenly, the connection broke. Every link was abruptly severed, and now he could feel nothing at all. Tears of rage rose to his eyes as he realised that his people had been destroyed. This could only mean one thing. His precious son was dead.

* * *

Gradually Kakashi found himself returning to consciousness. As he did so, there were some sensations that he decided to focus on, and others that he chose to firmly ignore. An example of the latter was the intense pain radiating from every inch of his body that currently had any feeling at all. He distanced his mind from this as much as he could, because what the Jonin felt to be more important was the distinctly recognisable chakra signature right beside him. He opened his eyes slowly, and as the throbbing in his head increased, he was glad for the darkness around him.

"…Guy…?"

Even to himself, his voice sounded terrible. But considering the effort it was taking to so much as breathe right now, Kakashi was glad to have gotten the word out at all. Distorted images swam before his eyes until there were at least four identical, bowl-cut sporting shinobi staring down at him. Kakashi closed his eyes again, praying that he wouldn't have to repeat himself. But fortunately it seemed that Guy had heard his feeble attempt at communication.

"Rival! You're alive! I mean, I knew you were alive but I never dreamed that you might return to consciousness so soon. Thank the Gods! And fear not, a medical team is on their way."

As full memory of the evening's proceedings returned to him, Kakashi managed two words.

"Oh… shit!"

A med-team was the last thing he needed right now. And seeing as he must've been unconscious for quite some time, they'd probably be arriving any minute. Kakashi tried to sit up, but his arms weren't responding and so wouldn't provide any leverage, and his broken ribs were making it inescapably clear that any change in elevation would be paid for by loss of respiratory ability. So he quickly abandoned that plan and instead raised his head enough to fully meet his supposed rival's eyes. But even this slight movement caused a spasm of pain to run through his body and his vision to blur and distort. The Jonin felt that this may have had something to do with the head wound that even now seemed to be seeping blood down his face. Still, Kakashi kept his head raised and determinedly met his friend's concerned gaze. He could see how hard Guy was trying to will the tears away from his eyes. After all, this was no time for crying, even for one as emotional as the Green Beast. There was still much that needed to be done before the medics showed up, and Kakashi knew that at the moment, he was thoroughly unable to do it.

He took as deep a breath as his ribs would allow and concentrated all of his energy on getting the next sentence out. "Guy… I need you to do something… it's urgent."

Luckily the shinobi in question seemed to have pulled himself together and was awaiting instruction. Desperately trying not to pass out from the pain of talking, Kakashi continued. "Only one of the ninja… was wearing a headband. I need you to find it… now. Don't look for the whole body… just the headband," Kakashi's vision slowly began to fade, and he fought to stay conscious long enough to give the final instruction. "When you find it… keep it hidden until I ask for it. You must tell no one… about these ninja's origin… or that they were after me. Not even the Hokage. Understood?"

Kakashi had carefully observed Guy's expression as he'd laid out his friend's task. Thus he knew that the Jonin could be trusted to carry out the instructions – provided that he managed to remember them all. The Copy-Ninja then allowed his eyes to close, but could feel the Green Beast's blinding grin as he declared, "It's a promise!"

As his self-proclaimed rival performed the necessary task, Kakashi remained in a reflective, fairly peaceful state, somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness. He was beyond pain, but not quite beyond thought. Now he had time to contemplate the realisation he'd come to moments before the explosion. As soon as he'd realised which jutsu Kitai Iyoku had been about to use, Kakashi had known just who this kid's father must have been. Whatever had been going on beneath the cover of Kitai's revenge, the Copy-Ninja was sure that it was in fact some much larger plan, implemented by that murderous bastard.

Slowly Kakashi's mind drew him back once more to that night eleven years ago. Even though a few of his missing memories had come back to him just before Kitai's death, there were still some huge gaps that he simply could not fill. Although he did realise that his current injuries were remarkably similar to the ones he'd sustained then, albeit this time around they were less severe. But before he could ponder this any further, the ominous noise of splintering wood sounded above him. The towering pine tree, which Kakashi was sure had caused more than a few of his injuries, was clearly about to fall – finally yielding to the damage that his impact with it had caused. And the Copy-Ninja did not fail to notice that he was directly in its path and was, for all intents and purposes, immobile.

Kakashi didn't even bother trying to open his eyes as he wondered whether his body would allow him to roll out of the way soon enough. He heard the great trunk slicing through the air and knew that the time for contemplation was over. But then, just as Kakashi realised that his muscles had no intention of following orders, the noise stopped with a juddering abruptness. This was enough of a shock that the Copy-Ninja's body permitted his eyes to open once more.

He took in the scene around him with an amused detachment, which he knew was being caused by his blood loss. Directly above him stood Guy. The perspiration on his friend's brow as well as the fierce look in his eyes told the Copy-Ninja that his rival had released a few of the eight inner gates. He was easily supporting the tree trunk with one hand, while from the other hung a battered and bloodstained Frost headband. But Kakashi didn't allow any feeling of relief to set in, as two others promptly arrived on the scene.

"What the hell is going on here?"

The Hokage's not so dulcet tone was unmistakable. As was the form of the Copy-Ninja's most frequently used nin-hound. Kakashi immediately put the pieces together, and was admittedly impressed by Guy's ingenuity at having summoned Pakkun. Thankfully, he saw the blind ferocity in the Jonin's eyes clear slightly, as in an imperceptibly fast movement the headband was stowed inside his friend's flak jacket. Kakashi could only hope that Tsunade and Pakkun's attention had been primarily fixed on the giant tree balanced effortlessly in Guy's other hand. Well either way, the Copy-Ninja knew that he had done all he could. And he certainly wasn't in a hurry to face Tsunade's upcoming interrogation. Especially since he hadn't finished deciding exactly what he would, and more importantly wouldn't be telling her. So once again Kakashi allowed his eyes to close. He knew exactly where he'd wake up next and shuddered at the thought. But after this, his mind refused to let any other thoughts pass through it. So the Copy-Ninja resigned himself willingly to the oblivion that awaited.

* * *

It had been twelve hours now since their return to Konoha, and Tsunade was no closer to finding out anything else about the group that had managed to leave the Copy-Ninja in such bad shape. Kakashi was still unconscious and Guy seemed to know nothing of the enemies' origin. She'd sent a squad to analyse the ninja's remains and they'd not been able to identify their origin or the cause of the explosion. So all she could do now was wait. She doubted that the Brat would be waking up anytime soon, or at least she hoped not. Tsunade had put him under the heaviest dose of anaesthetic that she'd deemed it safe to use. It'd still be a few hours yet before she would be finished reversing enough of the damage caused by the seeming explosion. Because the only thing that Tsunade was fairly certain of was that there had been an explosion of some sort. And that this was primarily responsible for her top Jonin's injured state. But for now, the rest was a mystery.

She looked down at Kakashi's unmoving body. Normally when unconscious, even the most fearsome ninja seemed vulnerable. But there was something about the Hatake, something that always threatened danger even when asleep. She smiled, noting the kid's resemblance to his father. The White Fang had always been surrounded by an air of ferocity whether conscious or otherwise. But like his son, there'd been another side to him – one that was so far removed from his usual detached, even cold demeanour. On the rare occasions that she'd seen Kakashi conscious and unmasked, she'd always been shocked by the similarity between his and Sakumo's perfect smiles. Sometimes she could've sworn that the father had been reborn into the son. But the last thing she needed right now was to be lost in thoughts of her old comrade. Especially when she was meant to be making sure that his only offspring didn't die anytime in the near future.

She looked at the severe burns running up and down the kid's arms, wondering whether she'd treated them enough to safely bandage them yet. Tsunade moved in for a closer inspection. That was when she saw Kakashi's fingers twitch, then his right hand curled into a fist before relaxing again.

"Damn it," she muttered, "he's waking up."

She considered upping his medication dosage but knew that it was already too late. His right eye opened slowly – he kept his left eye firmly shut. Kakashi's adamant expression was enough to tell the Hokage that he had no intention of sticking around for long. This made her finally decide that perhaps it would be best to keep the Jonin sedated after all. She took a purposeful step towards the supplies' cabinet, but Kakashi's cold, albeit exhausted voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Don't even think about it."

The Hokage sighed before slipping into her most officious demeanour. "Right, well seeing as you're awake, do you mind telling me what the hell happened back there?"

She wasn't sure whether Kakashi had intended to respond, but she didn't get a chance to find out. As at that moment, Konoha's one and only walking migraine burst into the room – all six foot of him sparkling with overenthusiastic greeting.

"My Eternal Rival! How glorious to see you awake again!"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes, not sure whether she'd been correct to read more into Guy's comment than just his overzealous attitude.

"What do you mean by 'again' Guy?" she asked.

Kakashi was quick to respond. "Presumably you know that this isn't the first time Guy's seen me conscious."

There was an undertone of dismissal to Kakashi's sarcastic statement that the Hokage wasn't quite sure what to make of. Silence followed, until it was suddenly broken by Guy's urgent voice.

"Oh! Rival, I almost forgot –" the Jonin seemed about to reach into his jacket when Kakashi calmly interrupted.

"I know, I promised we'd have a competition as soon as you got back from your mission. It might have to wait a few days Guy, especially if you've got something dynamic planned."

Tsunade raised one eyebrow as she almost saw the light bulb go on above the Green Beast's bowl-cut.

"Oh yes, how unbelievably ignorant of me! We can of course reschedule it to a more convenient time."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed again as she sensed something unspoken pass between the two friends. She couldn't help but suspect that there was something the Brat was keeping from her. But at the same time, she had no idea why he would have chosen Guy as a confidant. After all, that fan of bright green jumpsuits had never been the most subtle of shinobi. Either way, she was definitely missing something here. But she was the Hokage; it was well within her rights to demand answers. Just to be on the safe side, Tsunade decided to question Kakashi and Guy separately.

She kept her tone stern and authoritative. "Guy, Kakashi isn't technically supposed to be having visitors yet. Now that he's awake, there are still some tests that I need to run. You can come back this evening if you want to see him."

Guy looked slightly concerned – perhaps about more than just his friend's health – but he grinned none the less. "Why of course Hokage! And Kakashi, I'll see you later."

The Jonin then exited, and by some miracle managed to shut the door quietly behind him. For a few moments, a deep silence stretched between the Hokage and her subordinate. Then, with one eyebrow raised Kakashi broke it.

"I think we both know that these 'tests' are not going to be of the medical variety."

Tsunade couldn't help smirking at the Jonin's flippancy, as well as his dead-on intuition. "Correct. Now Kakashi, I want answers. All those ninja were dead by what must've been an explosive jutsu of some kind, and you still have a full supply of chakra. But there's no reason why a group of about three dozen would've felt the need to use such a two-edged sword in order to eliminate one man – even if that man was you."

Kakashi met her eyes with a look of such intense sincerity that Tsunade felt immediately compelled to believe whatever came out of his mouth next. "The criminal mind isn't always easy to predict. Those Rogues wanted to take me down and were willing to do so even at the cost of their own lives. And clearly they wanted to die on their own terms, not mine."

Tsunade was trying her hardest to remain sceptical. "If that's the case, then you still should've been able to escape the blast, even if you were at the epicentre of it. Its range was just less than that of a Jonin-level teleportation jutsu, and you still had all of your chakra available."

Kakashi's tone didn't falter once. "To be perfectly honest, it took be by surprise. I didn't realise that the group was on some sort of suicide mission. And by the time I did realise, it had become too late to distance myself from the explosion with jutsu."

Tsunade furrowed her brow, contemplating the kid's explanation. If there was more to this than met the eye, then she knew she wasn't going to get it out of him. But the one thing that made the Hokage certain she was being lied to was the simple fact that the Copy-Ninja was never taken by surprise, he just didn't make those kinds of mistakes. But at the same time, the fact that he was in Hospital at all meant that some kind of mistake had been made. In which case, there was only one other person who might know more. She straightened up, preparing to leave the room. But then, Kakashi's blunt voice cut through her purposeful departure.

"Don't bother."

The Hokage raised one eyebrow, turning back towards him, even as the Jonin continued. "Guy doesn't know any more than I do, in fact he probably knows less."

Tsunade frowned. "Okay then, for now let's say I believe that. But if I find out that you've been lying to me, so help me Brat I'll –"

"Yes?"

The Sannin shot him what she seriously hoped was her most intimidating glare. "Let's just say that suicidal Rogue Ninja will be the least of your worries."

The Hokage stalked from the room. She'd come back and check on the Brat later. But right now she had an appointment with a full bottle of saké, and she also had some serious thinking to do.

* * *

As soon as he saw the first signs of afternoon giving way to evening, Guy set off back towards Konoha Hospital. Ever since he'd left the Hospital earlier, he'd been trying to devise a punishment harsh enough to atone for almost breaking his promise by revealing the headband in front of the Hokage. He didn't fully understand his Eternal Rival's orders, but he'd promised to obey them, and one of his promises was not something to be taken lightly.

As he mounted the steps and entered through the grand double doors, the first thing Guy noticed was the Hokage's absence. Either she was with Kakashi or she was busy elsewhere, and Guy sincerely hoped that it was the latter. He really wanted some time alone with this rival. After all, surely performing Kakashi's orders had given him a right to know what was going on.

The Jonin made his way purposefully towards Kakashi's room. He knocked twice and then entered. Guy smiled with relief as he realised that Lady Tsunade was nowhere to be seen. He crossed over to Kakashi's bed and sat down beside his friend, who currently appeared to be sleeping.

"Good evening, Guy."

Guy started and looked around the room in confusion, and then down at his Eternal Rival. Kakashi slowly opened his eyes.

"I'm so sorry for waking you rival!" the Jonin exclaimed apologetically.

Kakashi sighed. "I was already awake Guy, I was just trying to think."

"Oh? About what?" Guy fixed a cheerful smile to his face, even as he tried to bury his growing reservations.

"It's not important," Kakashi's tone was dismissive, even as he struggled to sit up.

Somewhat reluctantly, Guy helped him. "Don't you think it's a little soon for that Kakashi?"

The Jonin rolled his eyes. "Not you too. I'm fine, and I'm getting out of here."

Now Guy was not only worried about his rival's physical condition, but his mental health as well.

"Kakashi, your youthful vigour is inspiring but I really don't think that you're in any shape to –"

"Guy, there's a whole team of medical ninja on call to wrongly assess my physical condition, why don't you just leave it up to them? What did you really come here for?"

Clearly his Eternal Rival had easily discerned that there was a purpose to his visit other than simple well-wishing. Guy decided to get straight to the point.

"I have managed to retrieve the headband, just as I promised. But I was hoping you might tell me why you needed it."

Kakashi's tone was blunt. "I don't, but Tsunade has to think that those ninja were Rogues with no allegiance to any nation."

Guy beamed. "An ingenious idea!" then he faltered. "But… why?"

Kakashi sat up further. "Because otherwise she won't let me complete my current mission to the Land of Frost."

The Green Beast furrowed his brow, trying to figure out why this mission was so important to his rival. "Couldn't the mission be completed by someone else? If I could do it…"

Kakashi met his eyes. "You can't. There's a man from Frost whom I've been accused of murdering, and at the moment I've got far too many unanswered questions for my liking."

Guy's confusion grew. "But rival, you've killed hundreds of people in your life, perhaps over a thousand. Why should this one be any different?"

Kakashi's response was simple. "Because this one's still alive."

Konoha's Green Beast was lost for words, but fortunately his rival continued.

"Guy, I need you to swear not to reveal any of this to anyone. It's for their own safety, the person I'm dealing with here is highly dangerous."

Guy gave a forced grin. "I promise!" then his face grew serious. "Why are you telling me this Kakashi?"

His rival sighed, and it seemed to Guy that he was in some sort of pain.

"Because you might be able to give me some of those answers. I want you to tell me everything you remember about the missions' clerk who delayed you the other night."

Guy scratched his head, trying to recall every lasting detail of the incident. "He was young… but not that young. About our age, actually perhaps a bit younger… although he did look older."

Kakashi rolled his eyes. Guy could see that his Eternal Rival was getting annoyed and tried to conjure up a clearer image of the clerk.

"He must have been a Chunin, so presumably he's younger than us. He wore glasses and his hair was blonde… no actually it was closer to brown – light brown. He had green eyes and a very serious expression – a most un-youthful character!"

"Okay, that'll do. Thanks Guy. You can go now," Kakashi's voice sounded incredibly tired, more so than Guy had heard in quite some time.

He was worried about his rival, but didn't know what else he could do to help. But as Guy turned to leave, Kakashi called him back.

"Oh and one more thing. I want you to bury that headband exactly two metres in front of the Memorial Stone. And again, tell no one. Can you do that Guy?"

Guy nodded emphatically. "Of course! But why would you want it buried?"

Kakashi gave the answer as if it had been obvious all along. "When Tsunade has me followed, it'll be a safe place to retrieve it."

Guy made no attempt to suppress his shock. "Why would the Hokage want you followed? And why would you want to retrieve it?"

Kakashi slumped back down on his pillows. He'd either not heard the questions, or had decided to ignore them. His next words were almost inaudible. "Goodnight Guy… and thanks again."

With that his rival closed his eyes and seemed to fall asleep. This was odd considering that only minutes before, he'd been determined not to delay his escape from confinement by a moment. But Guy decided to simply put it down to the Copy-Ninja's exhaustion, and the heavy dosage of medication he'd been given. Besides, he couldn't afford to stand there contemplating the truth behind Kakashi's seeming unconsciousness. He had a task of his own to perform. And if burying the headband didn't take sufficient effort to show his repentance, then Guy would do a thousand laps of the village backwards and with his eyes shut – just for good measure. Because whatever dangerous adventure his Eternal Rival had planned, Guy wanted to make it clear that he would be right beside him until the end. After all, what else were rivals for?

* * *

Far away in the Land of Frost, a father mourned alone. He had felt clearly the moment that his son had died. Their souls were linked in a way that only the wielders of the most forbidden arts could ever understand. Thus he knew that one person alone existed capable of killing his only child. For hours he had stood vigil, ever since night had fallen. Even with his emotions distorted by grief and rage, he'd known better than to risk showing himself in daylight, and so he'd waited until nightfall to come out in honour of his son. Often he'd been called impulsive, even reckless, but he was no fool. Not even his son's death would cause him to reveal himself to those still living. He was aware that there were no settlements for many miles, but he had always been a cautious man. Perhaps he didn't seem like it, but he wasn't the sort to rush things. Not the fulfilment of his plans, and certainly not the deaths of his enemies. No joy is as great as that which is worth waiting for. But now that his one remaining joy was gone, he would not be waiting any longer.

The air was bitingly cold, but he would take neither shelter nor comfort tonight. He looked up at the stars; they marred the sky's otherwise perfect blackness. Those frail, distant beacons, which guide so many from afar. They twinkled joyfully – mocking his grief. Amongst those pallid, priceless gems, he felt sure that he could see his son's vibrant yet eternally pale eyes. So full of life they had once been. To think that they were now closed forever. Oh he would be revenged! Not only had his son, the last hope of the Iyoku Clan passed from this world, but the remainder of the clan had been taken with him. He knew that he should have killed the Copy-Ninja all those years ago. But back then he'd had a much larger goal, one that'd required the Copy-Ninja to remain alive, at least until his son had killed him. But now that plan had failed. And what was left? No clan, no heir, no future – and only the wretched stars to guide him. Did that son of a bitch – no, worse, the son of that bastard White Fang – truly think that he could get away with destroying the Iyoku Clan legacy? Sure, at the moment it seemed as though Konoha was holding all the cards. But the game was about to change. And one thing that Ikari Iyoku hated above all else was losing.

He let rage cloud his vision as the night sky burned red. And knowing that there was no one left to hear him, Ikari raised his voice to the heavens and cried, "Kakashi Hatake! You will kneel before me! You will beg for death! And I will be the one to kill you!"


	4. Resistance

Chapter 4

Resistance

The pair of immortal shinobi swept through the Land of Fire, tracing out a path of perfectly ordered destruction. Everywhere they went they brought evil and despair. They were hunters, fixated above all upon catching their prey. But so far their search had proven fruitless. However much joy it had brought them to wipe out an entire temple of idolatrous heathens, it had not led them to their ultimate goal. But they would not rest until the Beast that they were hunting had been found. And no one who dared to oppose them would survive.

* * *

Kakashi's eyes snapped open the moment he sensed the Hospital patrol guards leave the wing. Finally it was safe to act. The Copy-Ninja knew that there was a limited amount of time for him to carry out his next task. When he'd first been admitted to the Hospital, while he'd still been partially conscious, he'd overheard Guy giving the Hokage a few hurried details of how he'd managed to find his 'Eternal Rival'. Guy had only mentioned that they'd encountered each other as the Green Beast had been returning from his mission, and that Kakashi had requested Guy to go ahead. The Jonin had also recounted how he'd gone back to see what had happened but had been too late to assist because a missions' clerk had delayed him. At the time, the Hokage had been too busy trying to deal with the worst of Kakashi's injuries to notice his friend let slip some crucial details – including the intervention of the clerk. This was fortunate as it meant that when Kakashi dealt with Konoha's currently compromised security, he'd be able to do it alone and unreported.

But he also had to do it as soon as possible. As always when there were reports of Rogue Ninja in the area, the village had been put on a twenty-four-hour civilian lockdown, which extended to off-duty shinobi. This not only showed that the Hokage had bought into Kakashi's claim that the ninja he'd battled had been Rogues, but also meant that the missions' clerk who'd prevented Guy from reaching him any sooner was likely still inside the village. And if – as Kakashi suspected – he truly was a spy, then presumably he would maintain his cover until it was safe to leave Konoha. Thus the Copy-Ninja's current task was to somehow make it to the missions' wing in order to apprehend and hopefully get some information out of the man before either of them was caught. In his current situation, this would be challenging to say the least. But one thing that was working in Kakashi's favour right now – unlike most other times he'd ended up in Konoha Hospital – was that he still had all of his chakra at his disposal.

Tsunade had left about an hour ago, and according to the clock on the wall it was currently two thirty in the morning. Guy's encounter with the probable spy had taken place near the start of yesterday's missions' office night shift. If this shinobi was pulling the same shift again, then it was likely that he'd still be there.

Kakashi sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. The movement only caused a slight twinge of pain across his ribcage, and he could barely even feel the previously agonising sensation of raw flesh beneath the bandages wrapped tightly around both of his arms. As always, Tsunade had lived up to her reputation as the finest medical ninja that the Five Lands has ever produced. Although, the Jonin's left leg was still causing him more than a bit of concern. It wasn't that the Hokage couldn't heal it fully if she wanted to; it was just that when it came to broken bones, she preferred to use somewhat more traditional methods. She'd healed it enough so that the jarring pain of the injury was now simply a dull ache, and the wounds surrounding the break were all sealed against infection. But after realigning any broken bones, Tsunade always seemed to feel that unless it was an emergency, the rest should be allowed to heal naturally. This was a view that Kakashi had often found himself disagreeing with, especially when he'd been the one being forcibly prevented from returning to active duty. But there was only one way to find out just how much healing had been left undone.

Carefully Kakashi edged himself off the bed until both of his feet were firmly planted on the floor. He then removed his left hand from the supportive surface of the bedstand and allowed his legs to take all of his weight. He immediately realised his mistake as less than a moment later, his left leg buckled and he found himself trying desperately to keep from crying out in pain as he collapsed onto the floor. Clearly the Hokage hadn't bothered to do even the slightest bit more than the bare minimum. Which meant that the Copy-Ninja would just have to fix the injury himself.

He tried to distance his mind from the agonising sensation now spreading up the entire left side of his body. In retrospect he probably should have tested his leg out a bit more carefully, but he didn't really have time for unnecessary precautions – especially if they involved him drawing out a process that, with a touch more discomfort, could be over in half the time. So, without any further hesitation, Kakashi carefully began to peel away the bandages protecting the lower half of his leg – exposing the injury fully. He stopped for a moment to observe the deep bruising and severe inflammation that served as the telltale signs of a recent break. Then the Jonin channelled chakra into the palms of his hands and concentrated on knitting the bones firmly back together.

It was admittedly not brilliant, but after a few minutes of healing, Kakashi felt confident that at least now he'd be able to get up without collapsing again. After all, he couldn't afford to use too much chakra while he was still unsure of what measures might be necessary to deal with the intruder. A little more cautiously this time, Kakashi got to his feet. He stood still for a few moments, double-checking that he was steady, before making his way to the wardrobe on the far side of the room. There he found his weapons' pouch along with his uniform. Kakashi quickly donned the clothes and strapped the pouch firmly to his right thigh. He also withdrew the katana he'd been carrying on the way to his mission, as this had seemed to be the Frost ninja's weapon of choice.

As he ran his fingers over the well-worn hilt of the blade, Kakashi felt much more at ease than he had in days. Sure, he still had a few too many unanswered questions, but at least now he was well on the way to getting some of those answers. With renewed confidence, Kakashi made his way to the large window of the room. There were no traps or alarms guarding against it being opened. In fact, the Copy-Ninja almost felt that his escape was proving too easy. Normally when he was forced into confinement within the Hospital, Tsunade would either make sure he was locked and sealed in the room, or have a few guards covering all of his possible escape routes. From where he stood, Kakashi could sense the chakra wards on the room's wooden door, but the window was completely unsealed. And as the Copy-Ninja stretched his senses out further, he quickly realised why. On the very edge of his awareness, there was an almost perfectly concealed chakra signature; it appeared to be coming from the Hospital roof just outside.

Clearly the window had been alarmed, probably by the Hokage herself; however it seemed that these alarms had already been undone by someone else. Kakashi had a feeling he'd just been saved a journey that would likely have proven a bit too much for his crudely healed leg. But what worried him was that – even though he could sense the intruder's chakra – he hadn't been able to sense the seals being undone. The only time since Tsunade had left that Kakashi'd truly dropped his guard, had been in the moment of overriding agony as he'd attempted to stand a few minutes ago. But even then, he'd almost immediately regained control of his senses. To undo the Hokage's seals that fast and that discreetly was pretty impressive. If all the members of the Iyoku Clan were this skilled, then the Copy-Ninja wondered whether he would truly have been able to hold out against the thirty-five of them if it'd been a fair fight.

Kakashi opened the window slowly, and then uncovered his Sharingan before stepping back to wait for the intruder to enter. When nothing happened, the Jonin spoke into the night, keeping his voice soft but perfectly audible. "I know you're out there, and that you can hear me. So why don't you just save us both some time and show yourself?"

Before Kakashi had closed his mouth, three shuriken came sailing in through the now open window. The Copy-Ninja deflected them easily. "I guess we're skipping the introductions then."

There was no response and Kakashi was starting to get impatient. If this guy wanted something then he was just going to have to come in and get it. Although, the Copy-Ninja was pretty sure that the thing this man wanted was to make amends for his clan's failure. He moved out of the way of any more incoming projectiles, hopefully ensuring that if this spy wanted to continue his attack, he'd have to do it at close range. Sure enough, from one moment to the next, the previously vacant space in front of the window became filled with Kakashi's latest enemy. It seemed that he not only possessed impressive chakra control, but was fast too.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes as he took in the man's appearance, before comparing it to the vague description that Guy had given him. He had tawny hair, almost fair, which fell slightly over the rim of his misleading Konoha headband. It was somewhere between short and long, just as it was somewhere between blonde and brown. Kakashi now understood Guy's difficulty in describing this intruder; almost all of his features were juxtaposed between two contrasting states. And if the spy had been wearing glasses when Guy had met him, then he'd since removed them. This revealed the ninja's only feature that was of an immediately identifiable colour: his eyes. They were a deep poisonous green, but sparkled like newly cut gems – a curious mixture of bloodlust and self-restraint rested beneath their surface. Perhaps this was what the glasses had been hiding. Kakashi also found it difficult to place the shinobi's age. His slightly effeminate features suggested that he was little more than a boy. But there was a compelling aura about him that was almost intentionally confusing Kakashi's senses, making him want to believe that the kid was older. Evidently this was an accomplished spy. But the Copy-Ninja liked to make a habit of seeing through deception. Thus he knew that the only thing important about this kid's appearance was that it said a lot for his seemingly vast range of talents.

Kakashi sighed, knowing that the statement he was about to make would prove pointless. "Now, we can do this the easy way – where you answer my questions willingly. Or we can do this the hard way – where I extract those answers by force."

He saw the kid smirk ever so slightly. "Or… we can do this the proper way – where I run you through with my sword."

As the spy produced his katana with a rather noticeable flourish, it became apparent that swordsmanship was on his list of skills as well. Kakashi sighed again and hoped that his left leg wouldn't fail him when gaining the upper hand depended upon perfectly timed footwork. This thought had barely even finished forming when his enemy began his attack. The kid feinted to the right – expecting to catch Kakashi off guard – but the Copy-Ninja didn't move to parry, knowing that the genuine strike would come from the left. Sure enough, mid-way through the motion his adversary's katana changed direction, forcing Kakashi to shift his weight to his left foot in order to block. It seemed that the boy had calculated his current weak point and intended to exploit it as much as possible, which was all the more reason to get this fight over with quickly.

The Copy-Ninja easily deflected every attack in the spy's swift and graceful onslaught, but each of his enemy's moves was clearly intended to put as much strain as possible on Kakashi's still injured leg. He could feel his healing efforts being reversed far too quickly for his liking. The Jonin looked around the room, casting about for a suitable plan. Then he found it. The spy struck once more but this time Kakashi didn't block the blade. Instead he dodged it with a smooth step diagonally backwards. To the enemy it likely seemed that he simply had not been prepared to parry, and that he'd inadvertently put himself in a vulnerable position. Because any further retreat was now blocked by the large table, on which sat the mysterious medical potions and implements that the Hokage had been determinedly forcing into Kakashi since his arrival. And in his momentary reconnaissance of his surroundings, the Jonin had managed to perfectly memorise the position of the item he needed.

As the spy's blade thrust forward once more, Kakashi turned to the side so that it passed barely an inch from his chest, and he placed one hand on the table's surface as if to steady himself. Then, in a movement faster than any he'd so far shown the boy he was capable of, the Copy-Ninja primed the syringe now clutched in his hand, sprang forward and injected the sedative – that Tsunade had been threatening him with all day – deep into the enemy's jugular vein. The kid's eyes went wide and then slowly closed, and Kakashi caught the boy's body before it hit the ground. He propped the spy's unconscious form against the wall and pulled over a chair to sit opposite him. Now Kakashi was ready to obtain the information he needed.

He lent forward and gently prised the boy's eyelids open. Immediately he fixed his Sharingan on the young spy's unfocussed gaze. When he was sure that the genjutsu was engaged, Kakashi removed his hand and the kid's eyes remained open, although their bright green now appeared dull and muted. The boy's body was clearly in a sedated state. But just to be on the safe side, Kakashi didn't let go of his katana.

In a calm authoritative tone, the Copy-Ninja began his interrogation. He decided to start with something simple.

"What is your name?"

The kid's voice was soft and slightly slurred – likely a result of the sedative in his system. "My name is Tei Iyoku."

Kakashi was pleased that the boy was able to talk at all, willingly or otherwise – he hadn't been sure whether the drug would enable such a thing. Now that it had, however, the Jonin wanted to proceed immediately with the key points of his interrogation.

"What is your relationship with Kitai Iyoku?"

The young man's answer came straight away. "He was my Senpai and clan leader. I was his student, spy, and adoptive younger brother. Now I am the means by which his death shall be avenged."

Kakashi raised one eyebrow; this was interesting. "Right, well, ignoring that last part, was it Kitai's father who adopted you?"

"No, Lord Kitai took me in as his brother after his father had already been murdered. My own parents and siblings all perished in the Third Shinobi World War, shortly after my birth."

The Jonin did some quick mental calculations. "That means that you're about fifteen years old. For what reason did the Iyoku Clan recruit such a young spy?"

The kid met Kakashi's gaze, but looked right through him as he responded. "I possess the ability to appear much older than I am – among many other valuable skills. Apart from Lord Kitai himself, I was the most prodigious member of the Iyoku Clan. Although now it appears that I am also the only member of the Iyoku Clan."

So the rest of the clan truly did think that Kitai's father was dead. Well Kakashi saw no reason to let Tei know that his assumption was regrettably incorrect. He saw the kid's eyes momentarily flicker; it seemed that he was trying to fight the effects of both the sedative and the genjutsu. Again, Kakashi was impressed. In fact, he had the feeling that there was already something that the spy had managed to hide from him. The Copy-Ninja closed his right eye and increased the intensity of the genjutsu. He waited for the slight shimmer of resistance to fade from Tei's face before continuing.

"You were recruited for another reason. Tell me."

The spy's voice was now completely unemotional. "I am the only unmarked member of the clan."

"Please explain," Kakashi invited, although his voice made it clear that this was in fact an order.

Steadily, Tei continued. "Until the age of five, Iyoku children are not considered true clan members. And before that age, if a child is captured by an enemy, no attempt is made to retrieve them. But by the time they come of age, most members are strong enough to defend themselves to some degree. Thus they are considered warriors of the Iyoku Clan and all other members will risk their lives to defend them. Lord Kitai's father, our former leader, decreed that when a child comes of age, they are to be given a marking at the base of their neck to identify them as a full clan member. The former leader carried out the marking jutsu himself, and he designed it so that the symbol would fade after death. I came of age just after his murder, and Lord Kitai decided that leaving me unmarked and having me raised as a spy would be of most benefit to the clan. Thus I became his student, and even though I was unmarked, Lord Kitai made sure that I was shown the respect I deserved."

This intriguing explanation had led Kakashi to suspect that this marking jutsu had something to do with Kitai's enigmatic claim to have control over the very souls of his clan members. And this may have been related to the fact that the mark was placed over the major chakra juncture at the base of one's neck. Of course, it was possible that the youth had simply been a leader who'd inspired devotion, but seeing as the jutsu had originally been the previous leader's idea, it was likely that there was more to it than met the eye. But Kakashi couldn't keep the genjutsu going forever so he decided not to pursue that line of questioning. Especially as the only surviving member of the Iyoku Clan – excluding Kitai's father – was unmarked, and thus any information about the jutsu could not currently be tested.

Instead Kakashi moved on to other pressing matters. "The Iyoku Clan had a stronghold in the Land of Frost that was burnt to the ground over a decade ago. Is that correct?"

"Yes. But after the fire, which claimed the life of Lord Kitai's mother, the compound was never rebuilt. For the last eleven years our clan has been nomadic within the Land of Frost."

Kakashi raised one eyebrow. "And where was this compound situated?"

The kid's voice remained blank. "It was exactly six Ri southwest of the border that Frost shares with the Land of Lightening."

That meant Kakashi would have to travel through more or less the entire country before he reached his destination. But at least it would give him plenty of time to misdirect anyone whom the Hokage sent to track him. Now there was only one more question.

"You've mentioned Kitai's father, the previous leader of your clan. What was his name?"

Tei glared at him, it seemed that his spirit was returning. He answered through gritted teeth, clearly enraged by his lips' betrayal of his mind's will. "His name was… Lord Ikari Iyoku."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed as – after all these years – he'd finally discovered the identity of his previously anonymous enemy. But he could not pause to dwell on this fact, as suddenly the young spy made one final effort to break free of the genjutsu. Kakashi knew that he couldn't afford to force any more chakra into the technique. The boy had now also overcome the sedative's effect and had reached for a kunai. Kakashi sprang to his feet ready to block the Frost ninja's attack, but this sudden movement jarred his injured leg and he was forced to steady himself, even as his katana clattered to the floor. This was when Tei Iyoku made his move. He thrust forward with the kunai, and would have hit a vital spot had the Copy-Ninja not managed to twist away just in time. But as it was, the blade pierced Kakashi's side, while at the same moment, the Copy-Ninja launched his retaliatory strike. With a movement whose speed and accuracy had been honed to perfection over years of ANBU service, the Jonin gripped the boy's neck and in one powerful, fluid motion snapped it.

Letting the kid escape had never really been an option, but still, Kakashi always regretted having to kill one so young. He laid the boy's body on the floor, even as he pulled the kunai from his own side. The Jonin tried to stem the flow of blood with his waning supply of chakra. The last thing he needed was for Tsunade to sense that blood had been spilt in this room since she'd left, which was why he'd ended the spy's life in as clean a way as possible. Kakashi used enough medical ninjutsu to neatly fuse the lacerated flesh back together. He then made his way to the window, trying to strictly minimise the weight put on his left leg. Kakashi closed the window and went about re-arming the traps that had been there before. After that, he stripped off his shinobi uniform and returned it – along with his weapons – to the wardrobe, before donning his hospital clothes once more. Finally he looked down at the kid's pale, inert form and he knew what he had to do. Kakashi laid the spy's katana and the bloodied kunai beside his unmoving body. Then the Jonin returned to where Tsunade had left him, in bed. From where he now lay, he looked over at Tei's body and concentrated his remaining chakra into his Sharingan.

Kakashi felt the usual sensation of his energy being forcibly extracted and channelled into his now active Mangekyo. With this, he fixed his gaze on the boy and initiated Kamui. The air in the room began to shimmer as the dimensional vortex concentrated around Tei Iyoku's dead body, and the weapons beside him. While in his mind, Kakashi pictured the location that had been described to him. It was a risk sending the spy's body there, but the Copy-Ninja felt fairly sure that the intended person would find it. Once the lifeless form had dematerialised, Kakashi was left gasping for air. He immediately closed his Sharingan eye and – confident that he'd concealed all signs of the fight – he allowed his consciousness to slowly fade. Now all he had to do was wait for Asuma's visit, then Kakashi would have the excuse he needed to explain his newly depleted chakra supplies. As the Copy-Ninja drifted into oblivion, he thought of Ikari Iyoku. No doubt that bastard was out there somewhere, and needless to say, he would not be happy.

* * *

Asuma never enjoyed hearing that one of his closest friends had been injured – especially when that friend was Kakashi Hatake. Somehow, that reclusive masked ninja had become like a brother to him – though older or younger, the Jonin had never been sure. After all, the silver haired fool was a year or so his junior, but when they'd been kids, Kakashi had always been a few stages ahead in the path to becoming a shinobi. This meant of course that over the years, the Sarutobi had seen his friend badly hurt on more occasions than he wished to count – mainly because it reminded Asuma of on just how many of those occasions he'd been completely unable to protect him. And now he had yet another occasion to add to that list. Apparently Kakashi had been confronted by just under forty Rogue Ninja, and had been in such bad shape that Tsunade had been forced to go and stabilise his condition personally.

All this he'd found out from Guy after the Green Beast had emerged from what'd appeared to be a fairly lengthy meeting with the Hokage. When Asuma had then glanced into her office, there'd been a rather dissatisfied expression on her face – as if Guy had been unable to give her sufficient information. According to the spandex clad Jonin, Tsunade wasn't planning to check up on Kakashi until the afternoon, so that gave Asuma plenty of time to carry out the standard protocol for whenever the Copy-Ninja was hospital-bound. He would have visited sooner but he'd been away with his current squad, trying to track down an unnamed pair of Akatsuki members who'd found themselves on the wrong side of the Land of Fire's border. So far, Tsunade's Niju Shotai initiative was yet to be successful. But after a brief rest stop at the village, Asuma along with Shikamaru, Izumo and Kotetsu would be heading back out once more. This time they were going to try and locate the collection office where Chiriku's body had likely been taken. In truth, Asuma sincerely hoped that he would run into those Akatsuki bastards there. Then he'd show them just what it meant to pick a fight with a former member of the Guardian Twelve! And they'd pay the ultimate price for murdering a man with whom Asuma had shared such a close bond.

But right now his task was a much simpler one: deliver Kakashi the salvation he needed, in the form of his favourite pieces of literary indulgence. The perverted Jonin's love of those particular works of fiction had always baffled Asuma – and it was certainly not a passion that he himself shared. But on the occasions that he'd seen Kakashi doing battle with his nose still buried in one of Jiraiya's masterpieces, the Sarutobi had wondered if perhaps the Copy-Ninja only did it for the purpose of looking so effortlessly cool. Hell, Asuma often found himself hard tasked to smoke a cigarette while fighting – not that this ever stopped him from giving it a go. But anyway, if bringing Kakashi his porn would make his stay in the Hospital more bearable, then that was reason enough for Asuma to do it.

As always, he entered Kakashi's room without bothering to knock. And, as always, the silver haired shinobi had clearly been expecting his arrival. He was sitting up in bed, although it was obvious that this wouldn't have been the case were it not for the pillows propped behind him. He had all the look of having suffered a very recent and very severe chakra drain – on top of countless other injuries. This was odd as Guy hadn't mentioned anything about chakra drain when Asuma had asked what kind of shape his friend was in. Although maybe that flamboyant Jonin had just considered it a given. After all, Asuma couldn't remember the last time that Kakashi had been admitted to Konoha Hospital without having suffered chakra drain. Normally it was only because the Jonin couldn't move that they'd been able to cage him up in there at all.

Before Asuma could extend any kind of greeting to his friend, Kakashi spoke in the half-bored, half-pissed-off tone that he always seemed to use when trapped within the confines of Konoha Hospital.

"It's about time, Asuma. Five more minutes and I was going to send out a search party."

Asuma smirked pityingly. "Well for what it's worth, trekking through Fire Country with nothing but cold trails and dead ends to follow hasn't been a walk in the park either. But what's with the chakra drain? I thought for once that was the one injury you'd managed to avoid."

Kakashi glared at him, but only for a moment before his bored expression returned. "That's right. However, I used quite a bit of chakra last night trying to fix the injuries that Tsunade decided she'd rather have heal naturally. And I'd prefer if she thought I did it so that I could fetch the books myself. She doesn't know you brought them does she?"

"No," Asuma answered after a slight pause, "but won't the fact that you used up almost all your chakra just so you could read porn make her even more mad? And won't she get a bit suspicious if you escaped and then came straight back again?"

Kakashi smirked. "Maybe she'll think that after all these years I've finally grasped the concept of forced bed-rest."

Asuma chuckled. "Like that'll ever happen."

But then Kakashi's face grew serious. "So you're going after Akatsuki?"

"Yep," Asuma's eyes narrowed as he anticipated the next question.

"Does Kurenai know?" Kakashi's mocking tone held a subtle edge of concern.

Why did that idiot always have to bring her into things? Sometimes it almost seemed like Kakashi was more interested in his and Kurenai's relationship than he was. But the Jonin knew that his friend was just looking out for them, they'd all grown up together after all. And if Asuma ever treated Kurenai badly – not that he ever intended to – he knew that he'd have the Copy-Ninja to answer to. But he still kept his tone suitably annoyed.

"Obviously I have. She's just pissed that she wasn't allowed to join the Niju Shotai as well."

Kakashi smirked surreptitiously. "Oh… and why might that be?"

Asuma didn't like the hint of knowing in his friend's voice and decided he'd better move on rapidly. Only the Hokage – who'd been the one to carry out the medical examination – knew about Kurenai's… condition. The Jonin wasn't sure he was quite ready to tell people yet; it was early days after all. He'd wanted Kakashi to be the first of his friends to know, although by the looks of things, telling that infuriatingly intuitive idiot the news wouldn't prove necessary. The bearded Jonin sighed internally, letting a silence stretch between the two of them before redirecting the conversation.

"So…" he began casually, "anything new with you?"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow pointedly; as if indicating his bedridden state.

Asuma gave a small smile. "Apart from that, I mean."

The Copy-Ninja attempted to sit up further as he responded to the inane question. "Well if I ever manage to get out of here, I've actually got an S-rank mission to complete. But I'll have a long-range communicator with me, so let me know if you want any help dealing with the Akatsuki. I've met Chiriku enough times to know that whoever took him down must be pretty tough – although I don't think I need to tell you that. Just don't turn this into a personal vendetta, if you need my help and I'm in range, just ask for it."

Asuma sighed. Kakashi's tendency to look 'underneath the underneath' had always been a source of endless annoyance. His fellow Jonin had immediately deduced that Asuma's thoughts had been tending somewhat towards avenging his friend's death. Along with abandoning comrades, taking vengeance was a practice that he knew the Copy-Ninja actively despised. But at the same time, if he didn't return from tracking down the Akatsuki, something told Asuma that Kakashi wouldn't take it lightly either.

"Thanks," the Sarutobi responded simply.

Kakashi nodded slightly, before moving on to the matter at hand. "Now, can I actually have what you came here to give me? Please!"

Asuma laughed and removed his med-kit, where he'd stashed the promised porn. He chucked the pouch over to Kakashi, who deftly caught it and withdrew the books in a movement quicker than the bearded Jonin could follow. His friend then zipped the med-kit up again and threw it back to Asuma, while with his other hand he opened one of the novels and had already begun reading. Content to leave Kakashi alone with his perverted literature, Asuma got up from the chair beside his friend's bed.

"Well, that's my job done then," he said cheerfully, before taking on a slightly more serious tone. "I'll let you know if I need you – assuming you're not still stuck here, that is."

Kakashi smirked. "At least now it'll be a bit more bearable. Just try not to get yourself killed, okay Asuma?"

"Fine, but the same goes for you," the Jonin replied over his shoulder as he left the room.

He didn't know what S-rank mission his friend had been assigned, but he was pretty sure that the Copy-Ninja was in no shape to carry it out just yet. So Asuma was left with the hope that when the time came, he and Kakashi would be able to take down the Akatsuki together.

* * *

Ikari Iyoku paced the ruined halls of his once magnificent home. Even now, the stench of his legacy going up in smoke seemed to linger in the air – as if the fire that had consumed the compound were still raging. No one came here anymore – only a few clan members once a year to morn the death of his wife, on the anniversary of the incident. Hiding his presence from them had always been a difficult task, although never impossible. But now that there was no one left to come, Ikari couldn't help but regret that he'd missed the chance to look upon his son one last time. On every occasion that Kitai had come here, the boy had promised that the day when he'd finally succeed in avenging his death was drawing closer.

The young man had often spoken aloud to his father in this place, even though he'd believed that he was dead. And Ikari had always seen it as a testament to the strength of his mind jutsu that he'd been able to plant two completely incongruous memories within his son's subconscious. And he'd also seen it as a testament to Kitai's own prowess that his son had managed to convince the rest of the clan of those memories as well. The marking jutsu had helped of course. It was synchronised not only with Ikari's chakra, but also with his blood. This was why Kitai had been able to wield it to some extent. And it had also been the means by which Ikari had known when Kitai was strong enough to eliminate the Copy-Ninja. Then he'd taken it upon himself to give his son the chance he needed. Although now Ikari thought that perhaps it had been too soon. But he would not blame himself for what had happened, not when there was another so completely at fault. And especially not when this other was someone he'd secretly hungered to test himself against ever since the boy had managed to survive all those years ago. Still, he hadn't been that surprised; Kakashi Hatake's father was, after all, the White Fang of Konoha – one of the deadliest foes that Ikari had ever faced. It was only natural that his son would be equally as formidable.

Slowly he cast his mind back to that fated encounter with Sakumo Hatake decades before, but just as he began to lose himself in thoughts of the past, something caught his eye in the distance that was enough to draw Ikari's attention back to the present. Through the gaps in the building's crumbling, soot-blackened walls, the former courtyard was partially visible. Ikari could now discern something in the centre of the overgrown plain, illuminated by the moonlight. Silently he made his way to the entrance of the dilapidated stronghold and into the grounds beyond.

The closer he got to the strange object, the clearer its origin became. It was the prone form of a young boy – his neck had been broken. But how he had ended up there, Ikari could not be certain. He knelt down beside the child and looked into his face. He vaguely recognised the hair that was both pale and dark, as well as the shrewd confidence marking the boy's gentle, ashen features. He wore a Konoha headband, but this was no Leaf Ninja. He knew exactly who this boy was – the last unmarked member of Ikari's clan: Tei Iyoku. Clearly Kitai had kept him unmarked to be used as a Konoha spy. But somehow, the boy had met his end. Ikari noticed just to Tei's right, a katana and a bloodstained kunai. He lifted the reddened blade and brought it to his lips, running his tongue gently along its edge. He concentrated intently on the taste and feel of the blood in his mouth. A smirk crossed his lips; he'd encountered this taste twice before – first from the father, and many years later from the son. It always amazed him that blood as pure, as superlatively unique as that of Sakumo Hatake could have been passed on with such perfection to his offspring.

Yes, there was only one person to whom this blood could belong, although how he had transported Tei's body there, Ikari was not sure. Because one thing that the former clan leader was completely certain of was that, if Kakashi Hatake had so much as set foot in the Land of Frost, he would have known about it. Perhaps this was a derivative of a teleportation jutsu. Ikari was well versed in hundreds of different ninjutsu techniques, and yet he'd never encountered this one before. But that didn't really surprise him, as he knew that the Copy-Ninja's repertoire stretched well into the thousands. But to think that the ruthless upstart had not only killed the final clan member, whose survival Ikari himself hadn't even known about, but had somehow sent the boy's body here to taunt him. It was unforgivable! Ikari's blood boiled with rage and his determination to slaughter the Hatake increased – along with his desire to make him suffer first.

The time for his revenge was fast approaching and Ikari knew that – one way or another – he'd be seeing the Copy-Ninja soon. He simply had to be patient and let the brat come to him. After all, Kakashi still had that S-rank mission to complete.


	5. Uncovered

Chapter 5

Uncovered

Within the confines of their own minds, two shinobi silently plotted each other's downfall. They had both suffered the loss of their loved ones as a result of the other's actions. But neither could claim to know the full story. One would proceed with his revenge regardless, but the other would seek answers first. The values of these two shinobi were different in every respect. But one thing that they both shared was their formidable strength and relentless determination. Neither would allow fear to enter their own heart. Even though they both knew that any battle between them would be fought to the death.

* * *

The Toad Sage was making his way steadily towards Konoha. So far gathering intel on the whereabouts of the Akatsuki stronghold hadn't proven particularly fruitful. However he had met with a few potential sources of information in some of the less reputable taverns scattered throughout the neighbouring countries. And at the same time, he'd also managed to get quite a bit of valuable research done. He smiled to himself as he tried to decide what he might title the fourth book in the Icha Icha series. Maybe when he got back to Konoha, he'd ask Kakashi's opinion on that one.

The Sage's smile stretched into a rueful grin as he thought of what Sakumo would've said, knowing that his protégé son was Jiraiya's biggest fan. That old Wolf had always been way too uptight when it came to literature. Still, not a day went by when the Sannin didn't miss his one time comrade, and former best friend. Granted, the bond they'd shared had been very different from the one that Sakumo had shared with Tsunade – thankfully! He certainly would not have wanted to be seen in that light by the White Fang of Konoha. Although, he'd always had his suspicions that Sakumo was just as much of a closet pervert as Kakashi was an open one.

Jiraiya laughed out loud at that thought, knowing that if he'd ever made such a remark in front of the White Fang, he probably wouldn't have lived to tell the tale. But as he drew ever closer to Konoha territory, the Sage willed his mind back to business. His novels were not the only matter that he had to discuss with Kakashi. Jiraiya wanted to get the young genius' opinion on how he should proceed with his search. As well as running his current options by him. He only hoped that the kid wouldn't be away on some mission or other.

However hard he tried, Jiraiya could never prevent the small surge of wistful pride that came with the thought of how indispensable Kakashi had become to his village. Just as Sakumo had been decades before. The Sannin tried in vain to prevent his mind from going off on the usual tangent at the thought of his best friend's fate. As always, it came down to the familiar stream of 'what if's. What if he'd been there to stop his friend's suicide? What if the village had seen Sakumo for the hero he truly was? What if the White Fang had never been given that infiltration mission in the first place? That'd been the start of it all. Jiraiya still remembered the look of stern confidence on Sakumo's face as his team had set out on that mission behind enemy lines. But even then the Toad Sage had felt his best friend's reservations. Sakumo had wanted to complete the assignment alone, thus minimising the risk to Leaf Shinobi. And Jiraiya would have happily gone with him, had he not had another assignment to complete.

But he couldn't change the past by dwelling on it. Although even after all these years, the Sannin still felt uncomfortable every time he had to pass through the land where Sakumo Hatake had been forced to make that fatal choice. And considering the events that the same country had been witness to a decade later, Jiraiya had twice the reason to despise it. Perhaps it was some curse of the Hatake Clan. The Toad Sage had always found it strange that both Kakashi and Sakumo had suffered so much in the Land of Frost's icy grip.

* * *

"I'm sorry, WHAT!"

Kakashi raised one eyebrow in response to Tsunade's expected outburst.

"I don't believe I stuttered."

The Hokage's fists clenched. "If you don't cut the crap right now and tell me what the hell you were thinking, Brat, I'll make sure you never talk again!"

Kakashi met her gaze steadily. "Won't that be a bit counterintuitive if you want to get answers out of me?"

He knew that he was perilously close to pushing the Hokage over the edge. But the more worked up she got over his story, the less likely she was to doubt its veracity. It became clear that she was trying, and ultimately failing to control her anger.

"Alright Hatake, let me get this straight. You healed yourself – quite badly by the looks of it – and then went to fetch those vulgar, distasteful, and poorly written excuses for books, for no reason other than your perpetual desire to be insubordinate?"

The Jonin smirked. "Well… more or less."

He'd decided that perhaps he shouldn't point out the irony of her calling Jiraiya's books poorly written, when she featured so prominently in their storyline.

The Hokage gritted her teeth. "Yet somehow, in your attempt at healing yourself, you've actually managed to shift the bones in your leg back out of alignment."

Kakashi shrugged. "I was in a rush," he flashed her a disarming smile. "I don't suppose you'd mind resetting them?"

If looks could kill, Kakashi knew that he would've been long dead. But thankfully they couldn't. Although the Hokage did seem to be picturing a thousand different ways that she could make him suffer for his apparent misbehaviour. She said no more, but took an ominously purposeful step towards the bed. The complacent malice in her eyes almost made Kakashi regret his innocent request. And when he felt her iron grip on his broken leg, he knew that the next few minutes were not going to be pleasant.

It was perversely fortunate that his fight with Tei Iyoku had ended with Kakashi's leg being in pretty much the same shape as it had before Tsunade's initial healing. This meant that at least she wouldn't have to break the bones again in order to realign them. Kakashi took a deep breath, preparing for the Hokage to begin her manipulations. But nothing could have prepared him for the violence with which she pulled and twisted the bones back into place. The Copy-Ninja felt that if he'd allowed a scream to escape his throat, the Hokage would have realised that her retaliation was just shy of outright torture and might have desisted from healing him. And having his leg still broken would not have been useful when it came to escaping from the Hospital for good. Thus, with tremendous effort, Kakashi remained silent.

This time, once the bones had been agonisingly reset, Tsunade fed her chakra into the break and healed the injury fully. Kakashi knew that this was only for fear that he'd try to use his leg while it was still broken, and thus injure himself permanently. But he also sensed that after carrying out her punishment, the Hokage had managed to vent most of her anger and was feeling a little less sadistic. Although, he still let a silence hang in the air between them, while his vision slowly stopped swimming and Tsunade's ragged breathing calmed.

When Kakashi felt it safe to speak, it was no longer in the flippant tone that he'd previously been using. "There's still that S-rank mission that needs dealing with, Hokage."

"I know that. So what?" her tone was curt but no longer enraged.

Kakashi took this as a relatively positive sign and continued. "So I should probably be heading out sooner rather than later. It was urgent after all."

The Hokage crossed her arms tightly over her chest. "You're not going anywhere for at least another week, Brat. Not until you've actually got some chakra to speak of. And don't even think about using chakra boosters!"

The Jonin smiled wistfully. "Even if I wanted to, it's not like you keep a supply of them in the room."

Tsunade smirked. "No, I don't. And don't think I'm not aware that you'll try and coerce your friends into slipping you some."

Kakashi's face became a mask of innocence. "I'd never dream of doing such a thing, Hokage!" then he grew a touch more serious. "Now that I can walk though, could I just get out of here for an hour or so? You know, get some fresh air."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "What's this really about?"

Kakashi sighed and kept his expression blank – letting a hint of sorrow shimmer beneath the surface of his gaze, as if he were trying to hide it. "It's been three days since I last visited Obito's grave."

The Hokage nodded slowly, her face coloured with a faint blush of empathy. But her tone was as crisp as always. "Very well, go if you must. But I expect you to be back here in precisely one hour. Any longer and I'm coming to get you myself."

The Copy-Ninja smirked. "I don't think that'll be necessary Hokage."

"Right. Well, we'll see," she replied sternly as she left the room.

As soon as the door closed, Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't like having to use the Memorial Stone as an excuse. Especially since his visits there were normally what he'd be excusing. But technically speaking he did intend to go there, just not for the usual purpose. He stretched his awareness out to make sure that the Hokage had gone before slipping one hand under the mattress of his bed. He then pulled out the chakra boosters that he'd managed to swipe from Asuma's med-kit when he'd removed the books. Of course Asuma himself hadn't noticed, and Kakashi had made sure not to take the whole supply – his friend was about to fight the Akatsuki after all. But he hadn't been able to use them straight away, because Tsunade would have sensed the drug in his system. However, now that she was gone, it was finally time for Kakashi to act.

He tipped a few of the pills into the palm of his hand before swallowing them dry. The effects were instantaneous. He felt his body vibrate with a rapid surge of energy and closed his eyes for a moment against the sudden throbbing pain behind his temples. It was dangerous to take more than a couple of chakra boosters at any one time, but Kakashi needed results fast. And seeing as the main side effect was just a migraine that lasted for a good few hours, he'd decided that it was certainly worth the pain. Kakashi then changed back into his uniform, before gathering from the room the supplies that would prove most useful on his upcoming mission. He couldn't risk stopping back at his apartment because as soon as he left the building, the Copy-Ninja was pretty sure that he'd be followed.

He didn't think that taking his katana with him to the Memorial Stone would go down particularly well with the Hokage. But Kakashi could easily say that he didn't feel comfortable leaving his personal weapon lying around in the room; and that he'd strapped his weapons pouch to his thigh simply out of habit. He just had to avoid arousing suspicion until it was too late for Tsunade to do anything about it.

Thus, intent on his destination, Kakashi left the room. He suppressed his newly replenished chakra supplies as he sensed the presence of two Operatives, hidden around the corner of the corridor behind him. The Copy-Ninja knew that there would have been a cell of three sent to follow him. He was pleased that at least one of them had managed to hide their chakra signature successfully. Of course had he been using his own chakra to try and detect them, Kakashi might have been able to identify the third member of the squad. However the Jonin was keeping his chakra firmly suppressed. Kakashi knew that there were only two members of the ANBU who had been taught to so completely conceal their presence. And he knew this because he'd been the one who'd taught them.

But seeing as Yamato was busy training with Naruto at the moment, that only left one other person. Kakashi smiled to himself as he made his way leisurely down the corridor. No doubt the ANBU cell knew that he was aware of their presence. But it was more fun for both of them to act ignorant. The only question in the Copy-Ninja's mind now was what measures he'd have to go to, in order to stop his former student from impeding his departure.

* * *

Yugao Uzuki stood quiet vigil, hidden from sight amongst the dense, interlocking trees that surrounded Konoha's Memorial Stone. Her two comrades were also positioned around the monument. As the leader of this particular three-man cell, Yugao had ordered them to stand with their backs to the cenotaph, and she would do likewise. It was disrespectful to spy on someone while they were paying respects to their departed loved ones. At least that's how she would have felt had it been her in Kakashi's situation. And she would never want to do anything to disrespect her Senpai.

Although, that said, she still had all of her senses highly tuned to detect any sign of him using chakra or trying to escape the village. That was her mission after all. But as the minutes stretched on, she started to think it likely that Kakashi was making a genuine visit to Obito's grave after all. That stone also bore the name of her former lover, and she knew better than most how many hours could be spent staring at the engraved characters – willing the one that they represented back to life. Before Hayate's death, she had always wondered how it was possible for someone as eminently practical as her Senpai to spend so long dwelling on a past that he could not change. But now the ANBU understood all too well.

However, the Hokage had allowed Kakashi one hour, and that time would soon be up. She didn't want to be forced to intrude upon her Senpai's mourning, but she was not going to disobey Lady Tsunade's orders. A few more minutes passed and she and her hidden comrades continued to stand there, silent and alert. Then, before the thought had even truly registered that the allotted time had now elapsed, Yugao sensed a sudden spike of her Senpai's chakra.

She sighed, knowing that it was her job to find out what had just happened. Yugao signalled to the others to keep their positions, while she herself stepped softly out from the tree-line. Of course Kakashi would have likely detected their presence before they'd even left the Hospital, but he still waited until she was a little closer before saying, "Good afternoon Yugao. If you've come to pay respects to Hayate then don't worry, I was just leaving. Unless you're here for some other reason…"

Behind her mask, Yugao rolled her eyes. However much she admired Kakashi, she was certainly not beyond getting annoyed with him. "You know exactly why I'm here, Senpai."

Kakashi's tone was innocent, and he kept his back to her. "I do?"

Yugao took a step closer. "Yes, and I want to know why I just felt you use chakra."

Slowly, Kakashi turned to face her. Yugao saw the usual distant look in his eyes – which always marked his visits to the Memorial Stone. Then she realised, 'eyes', plural. He had his Sharingan uncovered. Surely this was where that chakra surge had come from. Unless he'd uncovered his left eye in order to both facilitate and conceal another jutsu.

Her own eyes narrowed. "Why do you have your Sharingan uncovered, Kakashi-Senpai?"

Even as she said this, Yugao stretched her awareness out to try and detect any jutsu that he might have cast. But she stopped in her tracks when Kakashi met her sceptical stare with his own sorrowful, mismatched gaze.

Their eyes stayed locked for a good few moments, and the bright crimson of Kakashi's Sharingan glinted in the late afternoon sun. That eye appeared to shimmer as he slowly replied, "It helps me to remember."

The deep sincerity in her Senpai's voice was enough to dispel the remainder of Yugao's doubts. It was so clear to her now; she wondered why she'd ever suspected anything. Kakashi was here to honour the memory of his old team-mate. That was all. For a moment she was surprised by her own lack of scepticism. But she let this pass too. As her head cleared of those confusing thoughts, she decided to get back to business.

"Kakashi-Senpai, it's been one hour. You have to return to the Hospital now."

Kakashi nodded gravely. "Of course, Yugao. You and the others can just lead the way."

As he said this, he covered his Sharingan again. Admittedly Yugao had expected a little more resistance, but perhaps her Senpai had finally realised that arguing would get him nowhere. Then, seeing as Kakashi had admitted his knowledge of their presence, Yugao signalled to the other ANBU to show themselves, and the four of them made their way back to the Hospital together. They left Kakashi at the entrance, and departed after having watched him go in. Once inside, he was the medics' responsibility once more.

Yugao then started off towards Hokage Tower, the rest of her team in tow. They'd give the Hokage a brief report, mainly stating that they'd observed no suspicious or unusual behaviour from the Copy-Ninja. Professionally speaking, that was as far as their duty stretched. But personally, Yugao couldn't shake the feeling that her Senpai was hiding something. She tried to look 'underneath the underneath' as Kakashi himself had taught her. But whenever she attempted to reflect on her Senpai's behaviour, the strange expression he'd held as he'd met her gaze came back to her, and she found herself unable to concentrate. She sighed, putting her suspicions down to concern for Kakashi's welfare. After all, she doubted that he was anywhere near fully recovered. And so Yugao continued on her way to Hokage Tower, hoping all the while that reporting everything as normal would be enough to make it so.

* * *

Tsunade was feeling restless. Now that the ANBU team had told her there was nothing to be concerned about, the Hokage didn't really know what to do with herself. The past few days had been spent in constant anxiety. First about Kakashi's reaction when he'd been assigned that S-rank mission, then about the injuries he'd sustained before he'd even gotten there, and then about his irrepressible determination to escape when he was not yet physically ready. Although for now, that determination seemed to have died down slightly. She'd gone to check up on him shortly after sunset, but when she'd put her head around the door, she'd seen him fast asleep in bed. The Hokage had immediately assumed that he was faking it, but she'd not gone in for a closer inspection. If Kakashi was truly allowing his body to rest, then she'd be damned if she was going to stop him.

Although, it seemed that his infuriating attempt at healing himself hadn't taken as much out of him as Tsunade had initially thought. Yugao had reported his movements as relatively normal – considering his recent injuries and chakra drain. And so the Hokage had made sure to place the usual seals on all exit routes from Kakashi's room. After all, she wouldn't have put it past the brat to try and escape from the Hospital while sleep-walking.

Tsunade smiled, finally deciding that if there was nothing to worry about, then she may as well try and relax. In order to facilitate this, she removed a half-empty bottle of saké and a small glass from the secret compartment in her desk drawer. One that, so far, Shizune hadn't discovered. The Hokage was about to pour herself a drink, when she heard a voice call from the other side of the door, "Tsunade, I'm letting myself in…!"

There was only one person who introduced his arrival in that manner, and the Hokage smirked before schooling her expression into one of mild irritation.

Before he'd even finished entering, Tsunade addressed the new arrival. "Back already, Jiraiya? Shame, I hadn't even had a chance to miss you yet."

Her fellow Sannin laughed heartily before responding, "Now don't be like that Tsunade. I would've stayed away longer, but I know that you've been up every night praying for my safe return. And what can I say? I'm just too kind to let you suffer like that."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "No. What you are is deluded, old man."

Jiraiya laughed again before sinking uninvited into the chair opposite her desk, and helping himself to her own personal saké – using the glass that she'd been about to drink from! The Hokage sighed and fished about for another glass, before pouring some for herself. She then saw the Sannin's face grow relatively serious.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "What's on your mind Jiraiya?"

The Toad Sage raised one eyebrow. "I was going to ask you the same question. Somehow I don't think that my absence is the only thing that had you worked up."

"Actually," she responded slowly, "it's the brat."

Her old team-mate grinned irreverently. "Kakashi? What's the kid done this time?"

The Hokage took a deep breath, before proceeding to recount the events of the past few days. From when she'd handed Kakashi that mission scroll, to him being attacked by the Rogues, to his current imprisonment within the Hospital.

For his part, Jiraiya listened to it all with an expression of intense concentration, which normally only ever came out when he was scrutinising a new subject for his 'research'. Although in this case, Tsunade felt that the pervert was genuinely concerned for Kakashi. After all, she knew that when it came to the brat, they shared the same soft spot.

Jiraiya's voice was troubled as he asked, "Where had Kakashi been heading on his initial S-rank mission?"

Tsunade shrugged. "The Land of Frost. Why?"

The Toad Sage's eyes went wide but he made no response. He then held one hand to his brow in clear despair.

Tsunade clenched her fists. "Damn it Jiraiya! What don't I know?"

The Sannin didn't raise his head and he responded through gritted teeth. "Clearly you don't know that Kakashi should NEVER be sent back to that place."

Tsunade's face paled as the note of fear in Jiraiya's voice struck her to the core. She was almost afraid to ask the next question.

She whispered it, as if that would soften the answer's severity. "Why? What happened?"

Slowly Jiraiya met her gaze, before responding, "Eleven years ago, in the Land of Frost, there was a terrible accident."

The Hokage managed to roll her eyes, even though fear was gripping her heart. "This isn't one of your novels Jiraiya, cut to the chase!"

His retort was stern. "As Hokage, you really ought to know this already."

Tsunade's tone was equally as crisp. "Well I don't. So care to enlighten me?"

Jiraiya sighed wearily before, at length, he responded, "Alright then, I guess it's about time you heard the story. Although after all these years, I thought someone might've bothered to tell you what happened the night that Rin died."


	6. Memory

Chapter 6

Memory

The sky was clear, the stars shone bright, the waning moon smiled softly down upon the sleeping village. This night was as peaceful as any other, but still one man was restless. However much he wanted to ignore the inexplicable sense of foreboding, he could feel a portentous warning floating in the air. The instincts that he'd honed over decades of service to the shinobi world were telling him that something bad was about to happen, something that would make this night one he'd never forget. And even though the events of this night would be burned into his memory forever, many years would pass before he'd truly discover what had set those events in motion.

* * *

Jiraiya walked unhurriedly through the streets of Konoha, watching as his breath formed crystals in the frozen air. Even those fleeting vaporous spectres seemed to be concealing some secret dark activity. For the duration of his aimless journey, the Sannin let his mind wander as the author inside of him devised plotlines crawling with sinister intricacies – appropriate to his current setting. But as a deathly hush swallowed up all trace of nocturnal life, Jiraiya realised that these stories were starting to seem all too real. So he refused to reflect on them any further.

With a sternly vacant mind, the Toad Sage completed his night-time tour of the village and found himself just outside of Konoha's main gates. The pair of shinobi on watch duty gave him curt nods, which he returned with composed indifference. Then Jiraiya noticed something, still far off in the distance. It was clearly a person, although they were advancing painfully slowly. The Sannin tried to discern as much detail as the limited visibility would allow, and thus noticed that this figure held another – a woman – cradled in his arms.

Jiraiya's sense of smell then compensated for the darkness obscuring his vision. Although, after a few moments, he wished to the Gods that it hadn't. Even in the perfectly still winter air the scent of blood, smoke and charred flesh carried easily to where he stood.

His fists clenched as he addressed the watchmen. "Go summon a med-team… NOW!"

The two shinobi immediately raced from the scene, not daring to question the Sannin's authority. And Jiraiya himself made his way to where the anonymous ninja was still haltingly advancing. Suddenly he saw the previously inert figure in the man's arms raise her head slightly, as if in communication with the one carrying her. But then her head fell back again, and her body went limp.

His heart racing, Jiraiya quickened his pace. Until all at once, the identities of the two ninja became clear.

"Shit!"

It was the only word that came to mind, as everything else in the world suddenly seemed irrelevant. Right now all that mattered was finding out what on Earth had happened to Kakashi and Rin. Their mission had been a simple one. The Land of Frost had wanted advice – and possibly aid – from the Land of Fire in relation to an undisclosed matter of national security. But Konoha couldn't afford to make it look like a political visit, and so none of their Councillors or official Jonin Advisors could be sent. However they'd still sent one man with great strategic prowess and extensive knowledge of the ninja arts as well as the shinobi regulations, and one woman with unrivalled diplomatic ability and an indomitable sense of morality. Overall, although they had not been informed of the specific issue, they had ensured that they could give informed, logical, yet compassionate advice – thus helping their potential future allies and furthering the Land of Fire's diplomatic reputation.

But clearly something had gone horribly wrong. Jiraiya watched with mounting dread as Kakashi turned and laid Rin's lifeless body gently onto the ground. The young Jonin's fists were clenched and his head was bowed; he seemed oblivious to Jiraiya's presence until the Toad Sage stood directly behind him. The kid's shoulders stiffened, and slowly he turned to face the bewildered Sannin. Jiraiya saw absolutely no recognition in Kakashi's gaze, but what he did see caused his heart to miss a beat. The ANBU's eyes were filled with a terrifying, murderous hatred. But at the same time they appeared to be haunted by some distant fear. The Sage almost felt that if he'd spoken to the Jonin right now, Kakashi wouldn't have understood him. The kid gradually turned away from him once more.

Jiraiya stepped closer, before placing a hand lightly on the shoulder of the boy who was fast becoming universally feared as the infamous Copy-Ninja. Instantly Kakashi spun around and pushed the Sannin back with a force that almost knocked him off his feet.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" the kid screamed.

His voice was raw and his eyes were wild; the Sannin had never seen such madness in the young protégé's face. And to be honest, it scared him. Then, as he looked the boy up and down, this fear only increased. His clothing had been dyed red with blood and although it was clear that not all of it was his own, Jiraiya could still see just from how he was standing that Kakashi had been badly wounded. He had the majority of his weight shifted onto his right leg, and his tightly clenched fists showed that he was keeping himself upright by nothing more than sheer determination.

But then Kakashi turned again towards Rin, and Jiraiya knew, as the boy sank to his knees beside her, that the young kunoichi was already beyond help. For a moment, the ANBU's head fell against his chest, and the Toad Sage wondered for how much longer the kid would manage to remain conscious. Hell, it looked like Kakashi was barely breathing. Jiraiya's own hands then clenched into fists. He'd be damned if he'd let Sakumo's only child die while he himself was still living!

The Sannin knelt by the Jonin's side and was about to speak, when Kakashi's choked and uncharacteristically frantic voice rang out into the darkness. "Tsunade! Where's Tsunade?"

It took immense effort to prevent tears of pity from starting into Jiraiya's eyes; he answered softly. "Kakashi, Tsunade left the village years ago. You know that."

He wasn't sure if the kid had even heard him. His head fell forward again and his breathing became increasingly laboured. The Sannin knew that if help didn't arrive soon, it would be too late not only for Rin but for Kakashi as well. A decade may have passed, but Jiraiya wasn't yet ready or willing to lose another Hatake.

Kakashi's next words were barely audible. "She can still be saved."

Jiraiya sighed deeply; then gently he drew the injured kid into his arms, whispering as he did so, "It'll be okay 'Kashi, the medics are on their way."

The fact that the boy – whom Jiraiya still refused to admit had somehow grown into a man – didn't try to break free of him showed just how exhausted he really was. And what the Sannin hadn't told Kakashi was that the medics were on their way to treat him, Rin was beyond saving. But finding out how she'd died, as well as how the Copy-Ninja had ended up so badly hurt would just have to wait. Getting the young ANBU to the Hospital while he was still breathing was the only thing that mattered right now. And as the kid's body relaxed in his grip, consciousness finally leaving him, Jiraiya knew that the urgency of the situation was escalating rapidly.

How Kakashi had managed to carry Rin's body back to the village while injured to the point of collapse was beyond him. But again, finding out the full story could wait until the Jonin was ready – and able – to tell him. The kid had just lost his closest friend after all, and Jiraiya knew all too well how that felt. However, what worried the Sannin just as much as Kakashi's physical condition, was the mental state he might be in even after his body had healed. In fact, what had actually happened was the least of Jiraiya's concerns right now.

* * *

"Well it isn't the least of mine!" Tsunade's mind was still reeling from the information she'd just received, although she didn't need to ask whether Kakashi had made a full recovery. What she did need to know was what the hell had happened that'd resulted in Rin's death and the Copy-Ninja's severe injury.

Jiraiya shrugged. "At the time there were more important things – as I've explained."

Tsunade knew that by more important things the Sannin meant getting the brat to Hospital. Briefly she wondered whether the medics had even tried to treat Rin, after all it'd sounded like she'd been past the point of aid – for anyone of average medical ability that is. But the Fifth Hokage did not fall into that category, and she couldn't help thinking that perhaps if she'd been there, things might have turned out differently. Once again, she'd failed Kakashi when he'd needed her most – and in doing so, she'd also failed Sakumo. She tried to keep this painful realisation from showing in her tone as she asked impatiently, "And after that, what happened?"

Slowly Jiraiya continued his story, his voice heavy. "The kid spent six weeks in Hospital, half of that time on life support. Meanwhile, Frost sent us an official apology and their condolences over Rin's death. They said that a landmine, thought inactive, had detonated and the two of them had been caught up in it. There was no evidence pointing to any deception on their part. And the Land of Frost also withdrew their request for council saying that they would resolve their initial problem internally, and not bother Konoha any further. We also told them to make sure that all remaining landmines from the old wars were fully deactivated. Naturally they agreed."

"And you just accepted this?" Tsunade's tone was sceptical. After all, it sounded to her like a barely disguised attempt on the Copy-Ninja's life.

"I know what you're thinking, Tsunade," Jiraiya answered sternly, "but accusing them of such a thing would have inevitably led to war. And you know that's not how Konoha likes to do things. Plus, we really had no grounds on which to refute them."

The Hokage's eyes widened. "You mean Kakashi backed their story?"

Jiraiya sighed. "Well, not exactly," he paused for a few moments before continuing. "You see, somewhere along the line, the kid suffered pretty bad concussion; he had absolutely no memory of what'd happened."

Tsunade's incredulity was growing by the second. "And this didn't strike you as at all suspicious?"

The Toad Sage met her gaze. "Between his head injury and his post-traumatic shock – no."

"Post-traumatic shock?"

That definitely didn't sound like Kakashi. Rin would've been an unimaginable loss for him, but one thing that the Copy-Ninja always displayed – even in the most adverse of circumstances – was composure. Although, based on Jiraiya's description, it did seem as though Kakashi had not been acting like himself at all. She waited for her fellow Sannin to go on. Which he eventually did, in a solemn voice.

"He didn't communicate, or even acknowledge the presence of others for weeks after the incident. That was half the reason he had to be kept in Hospital so long. He just spent all day in what appeared to be some sort of deep meditation, I think he was trying to get back the memories he'd lost. But then one day he snapped out of it, and did something even worse."

Tsunade knew that the old fool enjoyed creating tension in his stories, but considering that for eleven years he'd kept such crucial information from her, she felt he ought to just get to the point.

"Well, to cut a long story short," Jiraiya went on, as if reading her mind, "I went to visit him in Hospital one day and found the chief medic unconscious on the floor of his room. And Kakashi was lying unconscious next to him, with a scalpel in his hand…"

"Had he killed the medic?" Tsunade broke in, her heart racing.

The Sannin laughed bitterly. "No, in a way it was worse. It looked like the kid had tried to kill himself."

The Hokage's eyes went wide, how could she not have known about this?

Jiraiya continued. "He was bleeding pretty heavily, if I hadn't got there when I did, he probably wouldn't have made it. It looked like the medic had tried to stop him and the kid had knocked him out. Afterwards, he'd denied that it was a suicide attempt, but refused to explain why he did it. Since then, he's ignored all questions regarding Rin's death or the events that followed. So I still don't know the full story. Though I doubt Kakashi could remember most of it himself. Anyhow, he seemed to come to his senses after that. Then old Sarutobi-Sensei decided that sending him back to Frost would be too great a risk. Firstly for the kid's mental health, and secondly if he started trying to hunt down a murderer who likely didn't exist. And if he ended up killing an innocent person, it would've been disastrous for both the Land of Frost and the Land of Fire. So it was decreed that he never be sent back to that place again. A decree that seemingly you weren't aware of."

Tsunade glared at him. "Indeed," she then leaned her chin against her tightly clenched fist, contemplating all that her old team-mate had told her. "Well, I never realised it was that bad. I'll just tell him that his mission's been reassigned."

Jiraiya sighed wearily. "I don't know whether that'll be enough. As soon as he wakes up, the two of us'll definitely have to have a long talk with him about a few things. But the situation could be even worse than we'd thought."

Tsunade stared at him blankly.

"Don't you see?" the Toad Sage asked with slight frustration.

"No, I don't," the Hokage replied in a blunt tone.

The Sannin sighed again. "This mission is one that only someone as skilled as the Copy-Ninja is suited for, right?"

"Well yes," Tsunade responded dubiously, "but maybe if I send an ANBU cell, they will be able to carry out the task."

Jiraiya shook his head. "That's not what I meant. What if the person who sent the assignment knew that Kakashi would inevitably receive it?"

Tsunade furrowed her brow in confusion, she didn't like where this was going. "What are you saying, old man?"

The Sage frowned. "I'm saying that this S-rank mission may have been a set-up to start with, and this supposedly non-existent enemy might actually be out there somewhere – intending to finish what he started eleven years ago."

At this, the Hokage leapt from her chair. "That's crazy! You're jumping to conclusions! For a start, why would anyone wait that long?"

The Sannin shrugged. "Who knows? The point is, the kid may be in some real danger. Those alleged Rogues might just have been the start."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "And now you're suggesting that those Rogue Ninja were somehow affiliated with Frost? I understand why it was a mistake to give the kid that mission, but surely you're taking this a bit too far."

Jiraiya smiled dryly. "You know nothing's ever simple where a Hatake's concerned. I'm just saying we might want to look into this a bit further. You know, try to read the hidden meanings within the hidden meanings."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Quoting Sakumo on me isn't going to automatically make me agree with you, you know."

Although she had to admit, the old fool had a point. The White Fang and the Copy-Ninja had always somehow managed to find themselves on the bad side of deranged psychopaths. Perhaps this tendency had been why Sakumo and Orochimaru had so completely despised one another. Then, a thought suddenly came to the Hokage that filled her with unease. What if Kakashi had come to the same conclusion as Jiraiya? He'd been desperate to get on with the mission, what if it had nothing to do with wanting an excuse to get out of the Hospital? After all, based on what Jiraiya had said, Kakashi believed that this anonymous man not only existed, but was responsible for Rin's death. For now, luckily, the brat was safely sealed within his room. But once a Hatake had his mind set on something, they didn't let it go that easily. If there really was someone out there, then the Sannin had a feeling that firstly: he wasn't to be underestimated, and secondly: he had a disturbing penchant for causing explosions. It looked like, as usual, the brat was prepared to walk knowingly into a trap. And it seemed to Tsunade that at the first opportunity he got, the Copy-Ninja was going to embark on a manhunt.

* * *

Kakashi had already passed well beyond Konoha territory, but he had no intention of stopping until he'd left the Land of Fire itself. The more distance he put between himself and the village – before a cell was dispatched to retrieve him – the better. The Jonin was actually surprised that his deception had lasted this long. He'd felt more than a little guilty when he'd been forced to cast a genjutsu on his former student, but it had been necessary. After all, if Yugao's analysis had lasted a moment longer, she probably would have detected the jutsu he'd used to unearth Kitai's headband, as well as the teleportation marker he'd hidden at the same time. And he'd been extremely fortunate to be able to slip unnoticed into a deserted corridor of the Hospital, before anyone had even had time to acknowledge his safe return. From there, creating a clone while he himself teleported back to the Memorial Stone and discreetly left the village had been simple. He'd also figured that the Hokage wouldn't want to disturb him if it appeared that he was finally getting some rest. And by the looks of things, this assumption had been correct. Although – come morning – Kakashi felt that the situation could change dramatically. Which was yet another reason why he would not be stopping any time soon.

In order to reach the Land of Frost, he would first have to pass through the Land of Hot Water. It was normally a four day journey from Konoha to Yugakure – the Land of Hot Water's former hidden village – but Kakashi had every intention of halving this time. From there, he'd be able to reach his final destination in just under a day. That is if he didn't run into any trouble on the way, or have to change his route to account for being tracked. And, to be honest, both of these possibilities were extremely likely.

Kakashi's fists clenched. Eleven years he'd waited patiently for the truth to be revealed. And now he would finally receive some closure on an issue that had been slowly driving him insane. But more importantly, this Ikari Iyoku was a threat to the shinobi world, and it was the Copy-Ninja's duty to remove that threat. Although, in terms of knowing his enemy, Kakashi was still dangerously under-informed. He had the knowledge that he'd extracted from Tei Iyoku, as well as what he'd managed to deduce from his encounter with Kitai. But still, what the Jonin needed above all else were the memories that had been taken from him. Because regardless of what the medics had said, neither physical nor emotional trauma had been what'd stolen those crucial events from his mind. It had already been proven that his enemy had access to some highly powerful, highly forbidden mind techniques. But beyond that, Kakashi still didn't know exactly what Ikari Iyoku was capable of. Apart from cold-blooded murder, that is.

One thing that the Copy-Ninja had always been sure of was that whatever part he'd played in the madman's nefarious scheme, Rin had not needed to die in order for it to progress. A part of Kakashi knew – without a shadow of a doubt – that Ikari Iyoku had killed his former team-mate simply because he could. And that was unforgivable. Such a man didn't deserve to live. But Kakashi was never one to play the Gods, and he wasn't going to kill someone just because they were the scum of the earth. He'd hear the man out first, evaluate what threat he posed, and then decide what steps needed to be taken.

Although that said, whatever conclusion Kakashi came to, there was no guarantee that Ikari Iyoku could be taken down so easily. Any man capable of tampering with the Copy-Ninja's mind was not someone to be taken lightly. No amount of meditation had enabled him to retrieve the memories he'd lost. Back then, this had led Kakashi to the conclusion that either the events had literally been deleted from his mind, or a discreet genjutsu had been blocking his attempts. And the final resort for breaking through a genjutsu, when all else has failed, is self-inflicted pain. Naturally this had put him in a rather compromising position, and hadn't produced any results other than scaring Jiraiya half to death and making it look as though he'd finally and completely lost his mind. After that, Kakashi had realised that there was no more he could do. And since he'd been banned from ever returning to Frost, he'd decided that there'd be no point in discussing the issue further – at least until he had some more solid grounds on which to base his assumptions. Because, initially, they'd been based on little more than a strong instinct – as well as Rin's enigmatic last words to him.

But now Kakashi had enough evidence to prove, beyond doubt, that Ikari Iyoku was out there somewhere. And he also had the few flashes of recollection that had returned to him the moment before Kitai had carried out his final jutsu. This had given Kakashi hope that the memories could still be accessed somehow, although seemingly not at will. And all that these recent recollections had really told him was that Ikari Iyoku had used the same jutsu as Kitai in order to simultaneously end Rin's life, injure Kakashi, and fake his own death. But there were still plenty of blanks that needed filling.

Previously, all that Kakashi had been able to remember from that fateful night eleven years ago had been setting out on the mission, and returning to consciousness after the explosion. Then there'd been the pain, and the endless journey back carrying Rin's broken body in his arms until, finally, he'd returned home. Only to realise that he'd been too late to save yet another of his beloved comrades, thereby breaking his final promise to Obito. And, if Kakashi didn't proceed with this mission very carefully, he'd end up breaking his final promise to Rin as well. The Jonin knew he was walking a fine line as it was. But he would not fail a second time. And he would not stoop to the level of one such as Ikari Iyoku. When he finally managed to track down the evil bastard, the Copy-Ninja would not just coldheartedly kill him. No, instead it would be with the burning influence of every hate-filled heartbeat that he'd do what needed to be done. And then Kakashi would finally rid the Earth of that monster once and for all.


	7. Journeys

Chapter 7

Journeys

The two old comrades talked through the night. They had much to discuss. Stories were told and truths revealed, until each one felt sure they knew enough to proceed. And they had to proceed carefully, because the object of their discussion was a man for whom they both secretly shared a deep affection. But it was not just for this man's sake that they so wished to protect him. After all, he was the final legacy of another great man. One who would, for two separate reasons, always hold a place in each of their hearts. And after losing this man so cruelly, they were certainly not willing to lose his son as well.

* * *

As with every other morning, Might Guy arose with a smile. After training virtually all night, he'd had only a couple of hours' sleep – but he wasn't going to let that dampen his spirits. After all, a youthful shinobi such as himself could function perfectly well with or without a good night's sleep. And although it was true that he hadn't slept, Guy had certainly had a good night. This morning he felt stronger than ever, and could only hope that his Eternal Rival was feeling in better shape too. Because, needless to say, he was aching for a challenge.

The warm glow of the newly risen sun washed over him, and boosted Guy's spirits still further. Surely not even the Hokage would have visited Kakashi this early. But he didn't need to worry about waking his friend. The Green Beast was one of the few people in Konoha who knew of the Copy-Ninja's tendency to rise before dawn, in order to visit the Memorial Stone. And even though he was currently trapped within Konoha Hospital, the Jonin suspected that Kakashi's internal alarm clock would have woken him up already.

In fact, the Green Beast was so certain of this, that when he arrived at Kakashi's room, only to find his friend sleeping soundly, he was concerned to say the least. Initially Guy felt that he should come back later and not disturb his rival's rest, but something told him that there was more to this than met the eye. He took a step closer to Kakashi's sleeping form and when the man still did not stir, Guy's concern only grew. Cautiously he reached out a hand and lightly tapped his friend on the shoulder.

Nothing happened. With his fear and frustration increasing by the moment, the Jonin decided to try a different approach. Instead of focusing on his unconscious rival, he shifted his attention inward, summoning his chakra. Only after he'd gathered enough spiritual energy did Guy stretch his awareness out once more. Now, what had previously been hidden from him became all too clear. That person lying on Kakashi's bed was nothing more than a clone!

Konoha's Green Beast growled. Either his Eternal Rival had tricked them all and escaped, or someone had stolen him away and left only this illusion of the Copy-Ninja behind. Neither was an option that Might Guy particularly appreciated. He clenched his fists and leant closer to where this devious imitation was still soundly 'sleeping'. It was clear that this was not a shadow clone of flesh and blood, but merely an illusion in human form. Which also meant that it didn't have any chakra to speak of. Thus whoever had created it had either been in quite a hurry, or hadn't wanted anyone to sense the clone's chakra. But as far as Guy knew, the latest development was that Kakashi barely even had any chakra left to sense. Or at least that was what the Hokage had seemed to believe when she'd told Guy not to visit until she'd found out "just what the hell that brat's done to himself now".

Although clearly the situation had changed since then, and for the worse it seemed too. Guy tapped the clone once more, wondering if it would be possible to rouse the illusion and perhaps get some answers. The Jonin's frown deepened as the doppelganger remained motionless. Guy then placed his hands firmly on the shoulders of his friend's likeness and shook the inert body, at first gently but with increasing violence as the clone continued to give no response.

The Green Beast's fear then turned to anger, wondering if some villain had abducted his rival. He shook the imitation once more, this time inadvertently pouring all of his growing rage into the motion. The Jonin realised his mistake as the doppelganger promptly dissipated and he was left gripping nothing but air. The sudden vacant space in front of him caused Guy to fall forward onto the bed. Initially he made no attempt to raise himself, as tears of remorse flooded into his eyes. But then he realised that he had an important duty to perform. Namely reporting this latest development to the Hokage. And if something bad had happened to his Eternal Rival, Guy knew that he would never forgive himself.

* * *

After travelling through the night, Kakashi had finally left the Land of Fire. He still had a ways to go before he reached Yugakure, but at least now he could afford to relax a bit more. After all, Fire's border patrol hadn't even noticed him slip through to the neighbouring country. This meant that they were not currently on high alert, which in turn suggested that the Hokage was still unaware of his departure. But as Kakashi observed the sun rising overhead, he realised that this wouldn't be the case for much longer.

The clone he'd created was, on close inspection, not a highly plausible decoy. Hell, he was pretty sure even Guy would've been able to sense that it wasn't truly him lying in that Hospital bed. But then again, Kakashi hadn't created the doppelganger for close inspection; it had simply been for the Hokage to leave him alone until morning – and to reinforce her opinion that he was still seriously low on chakra, as the jutsu carried no chakra signature of its own. He'd hoped that this crude deception would give him just enough time to escape unnoticed. And, fortunately, it seemed that his plan had worked.

Kakashi patted the pocket in which he'd stowed Kitai's headband, double-checking that the item was still in place. He knew he'd need it eventually and was once again glad that Guy had managed to carry out instructions so well. He only hoped that his friend didn't inadvertently let anything slip to the Hokage. Although she would soon realise what he was up to anyway. In fact, it was more for Guy's sake that Kakashi hoped Tsunade wouldn't find out that his friend had deceived her. Because one thing was for certain, when she did work out what'd happened, the Hokage was not going to be pleased with either of them.

But still, the Copy-Ninja was determined to make the most of his remaining time without a squad on his trail. His first order of business was to make sure that, when the time came, he'd know exactly who was tracking him. Normally Kakashi would have immediately summoned his entire Ninken, asking them to keep watch on the shinobi dispatched from the village and then report back to him. But a jutsu that required so much chakra would undoubtedly leave a discernable imprint behind for anyone trying to detect it. So Kakashi decided that he'd have to compromise.

He removed a kunai from his weapons pouch and drew it neatly over his thumb; he then made the necessary hand signs and effortlessly completed his summoning jutsu. Immediately Pakkun appeared before him.

"Yo," he habitually greeted the pug.

Pakkun responded with a raised eyebrow. "Is there a reason why you've left the country already, when only a couple of days ago you were practically dead?"

"Well I wouldn't just be here on a whim now would I?"

The summon glared at him. "I wouldn't put it past you. Now what do you want, kid?"

The Jonin shrugged. "Nothing too strenuous, just keep an eye out for Konoha shinobi trying to tail me and then report back with their identities."

The dog did not look particularly pleased with his assignment. "So would I be correct in assuming that whatever the hell you're doing here, is in violation of some direct order?"

"Well, not exactly," Kakashi responded with an innocent grin.

Pakkun's disapproving frown remained. "You know, technically I should go and report you to the Hokage."

Kakashi's smile didn't falter. "But we both know you're not going to do that."

"Fine," the pug sighed, "I'll let you know if I come across anyone. But I'm not happy about it."

The Copy-Ninja knelt down and scratched behind the dog's velvety ears, knowing that this would quickly cause him to reassess his last statement. It seemed to have the desired effect, even though Pakkun tried to remain composed throughout. After a short while the Jonin straightened up; a signal for both of them to get on with their current tasks.

Pakkun was just about to disappear, when Kakashi had a thought. He knew it was risky performing another jutsu in the same area, but the amount of chakra required was still vastly less than if he'd summoned his whole pack. He lifted his kunai once more, going over the cut he'd made about a minute ago. Pakkun seemed aware of what he was about to do as he said, "Is that really necessary, Pup?"

Kakashi shrugged, even as he performed the jutsu. "Better safe than sorry."

A moment later, the Copy-Ninja's strongest and by far largest summon materialised onto the scene. Buru barked a gentle greeting, which the Jonin acknowledged with a warm smile. As strange as they looked together, Kakashi knew that the pug and the bulldog made a formidable duo. And he also knew that Buru's protection would be more than enough to keep Pakkun safe during his task. Not that he doubted the pug's evasive abilities, but it was just that Kakashi wasn't sure how secure his surroundings would be by the time the dogs caught up with him, and it would give him peace of mind to know that his personal summons were unlikely to come to any harm.

The Jonin sighed lethargically. "Okay Pakkun, I'd better head out now. You can explain the assignment to Buru."

He gave each summon a quick pat on the head before turning to continue his journey. By the time he looked back over his shoulder the dogs were already out of sight. Kakashi sighed again, hoping he'd made the right decision. But he didn't have enough time to waste pondering his choices. From now on the Copy-Ninja's focus had to be one hundred percent on the task at hand. Because whatever dangers awaited him, Kakashi simply could not afford to be taken by surprise.

* * *

Tsunade was abruptly aroused from her long-awaited slumber by a none too gentle rap at the door. She sighed, but knew that she'd given her ever-present ANBU guards standing orders to never disturb her in anything other than a serious emergency. These included natural disasters, fatal injuries, the end of the world, and very little else. So as the Hokage dragged herself out of bed and hurriedly threw on a dressing gown, she sincerely hoped for the ANBU's sake that she hadn't been bothered for anything less.

The knocking repeated, louder this time. Tsunade muttered curses under her breath and hastily yanked the door open. She carefully inspected the masked ANBU in front of her and frowned. There were no signs of a recent disaster, he was not covered in blood, and as far as she could tell, fireballs were not raining down from the sky. She narrowed her eyes.

"There'd better be a damn good reason why you woke me up, Rokotsu."

"I'm sorry to bother you, Lady Hokage," the Operative's tone held no trace of an apology in it, "however, Might Guy is demanding to see you and if we leave him waiting any longer I think he may start getting violent. Also, if you don't mind me saying, he seemed more than a bit worked up about something. He looked just about ready to tear the whole place down."

The Sannin rolled her eyes; trust a Nara to put things so bluntly. Without another glance towards her forthright guard, the Hokage left the room and made her way from her private quarters to the main section of Hokage Tower. And it wasn't long before she encountered Konoha's Green Beast. There were three ANBU effectively blocking his way, and the Jonin himself seemed close to climbing the walls out of frustration. Just like Rokotsu had said, the bowl-cut sporting shinobi was most certainly worked up about something.

With a small hand-signal, Tsunade directed the Operatives to move aside. Then before she'd even reached him, Guy started rambling at a virtually unintelligible speed.

"Hokage! How magnificent of you to grace us with your presence at last! I was starting to fear that they," he glared towards the ANBU, "had in fact not gone to inform you of my presence. I was considering going to find you myself. Of course under normal circumstances I would never have dreamt of disturbing you from your rest in such an uncouth manner. But regretfully I fear that it is my duty to relay to you some most upsetting news."

Realising that over the last twenty seconds the viridian-clad fool had done nothing more than say 'Good morning, we have a problem', Tsunade made sure that her tone indicated her desire to get this over with as soon as possible.

"Get to the point, Guy."

The Jonin's eyes widened. "Right, of course Hokage. I would hate to take up any more of your precious time than is strictly necessary. It's just difficult to find words to adequately express the horror of such a dreadful occurrence…"

"GUY!" Tsunade was getting dangerously near the end of her patience.

At least the Green Beast had the decency to blush slightly. "Ah, I apologise. The urgent information that I feel obligated to impart is this: Kakashi Hatake has either left, or been taken from Konoha Hospital. Although how such an awful thing could have happened I genuinely cannot say."

Tsunade stared at him unblinkingly for a good few moments. And it was the ANBU around her who truly caused what'd just been said to sink in. At the mention of Kakashi's name, they'd all suddenly switched from clear disinterest in the Jonin's gabbled story to a state of such intense concentration that it was almost palpable.

She motioned to the nearest Operative and said the first words that came to mind. "Get me Jiraiya!"

The ANBU nodded sharply. "At once, Hokage! Is there anything else?"

Tsunade sighed deeply before responding. "No, just tell him to meet me in the kid's room right away."

The ANBU nodded again, and without another word teleported from the building. Tsunade then turned back towards a rather tearful Green Beast, saying, "Thank you for telling me Guy."

She was about to leave as well, when the Jonin's determined voice stopped her. "Is there anything I can do to assist, Hokage?"

Tsunade contemplated this for a moment and finally answered, "I want you to tell me exactly what you saw when you went into Kakashi's room. And then I want you to meet me in my office in one hour, in full mission gear."

The Sannin was fairly certain that if the Copy-Ninja had left, it'd been of his own accord. But how the hell he'd managed to pull it off was beyond her. In fact, there was only one thing that the Hokage was completely sure of. If the Jonin had indeed escaped from the village, then she was going to have to send a four-man cell to retrieve him. Because after being entrusted with the task of keeping the brat alive – and on countless occasions nearly failing – Tsunade was not going to let Kakashi throw his life away over something as futile as revenge.

* * *

The sun rose steadily over Konoha, while Sakura and Sai made their unhurried way to Training Ground Three. With Naruto and Captain Yamato away and Kakashi-Sensei still in Hospital, the remaining members of Team Kakashi were beginning to feel rather bored. Sakura had been pulling regular shifts at Konoha Hospital, but that was hardly what she'd call exciting. She had no idea what Sai had been doing for the last handful of days, but if she had to guess, she would have said that it'd involved Konoha Library. However, even one as imperturbable as that Root member must've soon tired of sitting around all day. And thus they'd arranged to get some training in, which hopefully meant that when Kakashi-Sensei was released from the Hospital, at least he'd be pleased that they'd made good use of their time.

For several minutes, the two comrades walked in complete silence. But as this lack of conversation began to grate on her nerves, Sakura eventually decided that the time had come to drill Sai in the art of small-talk. Although she suspected it would be the challenge of that task, rather than the results, that would make the journey go faster.

"So…" she began hopefully, "the weather's nice today."

Her team-mate made no response. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"You're supposed to answer, Sai."

The Root member looked momentarily confused. "You didn't ask me a question."

The kunoichi sighed. "Okay Sai, let me spell it out for you. It's called small-talk, it's what friends do to fill silence and pass time."

Sai still looked slightly nonplussed as he responded. "I have read about the art of making casual conversation. Were you referring to that?"

Sakura nodded her head encouragingly and Sai continued.

"Apparently it's where two people engage in discourse that has little to no importance or overall purpose," then he smiled. "Ah, that's why you mentioned the weather, because it would be the perfect topic for a pointless and unintelligent discussion."

Sakura's face flushed crimson and she was about to give a rather sharp response, when suddenly the previously vacant air in front of her became filled with two members of the Hokage's personal guard. The kunoichi's red face now paled in shock, she'd never been summoned to Lady Tsunade's office like this before, and she could only hope that something bad hadn't happened. Sakura looked over at Sai, she suspected that the Root member was just as surprised, but naturally his blank expression showed no trace of it.

He greeted the ANBU calmly. "So the Hokage requires us for something?"

The two Operatives nodded, before the female one spoke. "You are to report to her office in five minutes' time, fully prepared to embark on a mission."

"Five minutes!" Sakura exclaimed before she could stop herself.

"Well actually now it's four minutes and fifty-five seconds," the male ANBU stated in a perfectly even tone, which Sakura found more than a little infuriating. Since when was Konoha's deadliest unit made up of comedians?

But before she could get herself into trouble by mouthing-off to an ANBU, the two Operatives teleported out. Leaving the young kunoichi wondering what on Earth could've happened that would require her and Sai to report to Lady Tsunade's office so urgently.

Sai met her worried gaze with his own unreadable one. "Sakura-chan, we'd better get going."

The pink-haired Chunin sighed before nodding her agreement. She knew that they were both thinking the same thing: if two members of Team Kakashi had been sent for, it likely meant that this summons had something to do with their Sensei. And she prayed that it wasn't anything too serious. After all, Kakashi-Sensei had been through so much already in the last few days. But she'd find out what was going on soon enough.

The kunoichi turned to look at Sai once more, but even as she did so, her team-mate carried out a teleportation jutsu and disappeared in a swirl of inky vapour, probably to gather his mission supplies. Thus Sakura was left alone to ponder this sudden turn of events. Right now she would have gladly taken small-talk with Sai over a summons to the Hokage's office any day. Especially when this summons meant that something bad had likely happened to Kakashi-Sensei. Needless to say, Sakura did not have a good feeling about this.


	8. Destinations

Chapter 8

Destinations

In the Land of Frost there is a legend. It tells of a shinobi, as formidable as he is evil. A wolf in human form. Wielding as a sword, a single glowing fang. And to see this weapon is to die by it. The fate of this mythical ninja is unknown, but for years now a new legend has been circulating. This terrible being had a son, as powerful and merciless as his father. With his one blood-red eye he penetrates all; seeing into his victims' very souls before slaughtering them by their own device. It is also said that anyone strong enough to defeat these fearsome shinobi would be honoured throughout the land. The entire country would forsake their former leaders and bow to this new hero, and perhaps after that, the entire world would do the same.

* * *

When he'd heard about the trick that Kakashi had pulled with the clone, Jiraiya's first reaction had been to laugh out loud. That kid was so like Sakumo it was almost scary. But the Toad Sage had soon realised that what he should really be afraid of was the fact that Kakashi had indeed escaped from the village. And the Jonin may well have left the country by now. Each step bringing him further from home and nearer to an unknown danger. There was someone out there who quite clearly wanted Kakashi dead. Of course that wasn't a particularly rare occurrence. But what had Jiraiya worried was that this shinobi had almost succeeded once before. And even if that hadn't been the case, the Sannin didn't particularly appreciate the idea of his best friend's son being targeted. Much less the idea of Kakashi going to face this formidable enemy alone.

That was why the Sage was currently standing in Tsunade's office, waiting for her to inform him of who she was going to send to retrieve the fool. The Hokage's expression was one of intense concentration; she seemed deep in thought and unlikely to respond anytime soon. So the self-proclaimed pervert sighed and shifted his gaze downwards slightly, finding that it did wonders for his patience. But after a full minute passed, with still no clue as to whom the Hokage would be dispatching, Jiraiya decided that the time had come to repeat his question.

"Who are you sending to retrieve the kid, Tsunade?"

The buxom woman sighed, her ample chest heaving with the motion. But realising that she was finally about to answer, Jiraiya reluctantly dragged his gaze away from said chest and met his old team-mate's eyes.

Her voice was tight. "Their mission isn't necessarily retrieval; it may be too late for that. I'm sending a team that I think is versatile enough to suit any given situation. So far it consists of one medical ninja, one infiltration specialist and one close-range fighting expert."

The Sage nodded his approval. "That's Sakura Haruno, Sai of Root, and Might Guy, right?"

Tsunade returned his nod. "Yes, but I'm sending a four-man cell. The fourth is…"

"Me!" Jiraiya finished, grinning broadly.

That put some of the fire back into Tsunade's previously worn-out gaze. "No way, old man! I was going to assign the fourth place to an expert tracker ANBU, who'll be able to locate the brat quickly."

At this the Toad Sage gave a hearty laugh. "Oh come on Tsunade, at fifty-something you can't possibly be that naive!" the blonde glared at him but Jiraiya continued. "You must know it'll be pointless sending even the best ANBU tracker."

The Hokage's eyes narrowed. "And why would that be?"

Jiraiya smirked. "Hadn't you considered who they would've almost certainly been trained by? There's no point in assigning someone to track Kakashi, when the kid likely taught them everything they know."

The Hokage raised an eyebrow but didn't disagree. "Alright then, who would you suggest?"

Jiraiya's smile widened. "I've already told you my suggestion."

"And I've already told you, no way!"

The Hokage now stood before him, arms akimbo, and a beautifully furious expression etched onto her flawless face. Not that Jiraiya intended to take any notice of that. He hadn't listened back when his Sensei had been Hokage, he'd continued not to listen when his student had taken up the role, and now that his former team-mate was in that position, he certainly had no intention of making an exception.

The Toad Sage returned Tsunade's livid glare with a lewd one of his own, and for over a minute the two old friends remained locked in a face-off. There was no telling how long this silent battle of wills could have lasted, but luckily a deafening knock at the door meant that neither of them would have to find out. The Hokage nodded to one of her ANBU guards – all of whom, for the last few minutes, had been discreetly trying to make themselves one with the wall. The Operatives quickly snapped to attention, while the nearest one went to open the door. Fortunately he got there before another round of knocking managed to burst it off its hinges altogether.

The source of the bombardment did not surprise Jiraiya in the slightest. But he couldn't help but chuckle when the Green Beast – so intent on trying to break the door down that he seemingly hadn't noticed its disappearance – made no move to halt in his motion. Had the ANBU not had the foresight to dodge out of the way, Tsunade would likely have found herself down one guard. Then, as there were no obstacles for Guy's raised fist to connect with, the Jonin stumbled into the room – only to be steadied by the strong arms of the ANBU whom he'd come so close to inadvertently decapitating.

As Might Guy composed himself, Jiraiya watched the other two members of the retrieval squad calmly enter the room. Well in Sai's case it was calm; Sakura looked about ready to burst into tears. But to her credit, the young Chunin was managing to control herself. Clearly having the Fifth Hokage as a mentor had toughened her up a bit.

Schooling his irreverent grin into an expression of at least moderate seriousness, Jiraiya decided it was about time he took charge. "Right, well I assume you all have some idea of what you're doing here. I'll be leading this particular search and retrieval mission, but if you have any questions I'm sure our honourable Hokage will be more than happy to provide answers."

Thankfully Tsunade's highly audible sigh from behind him meant she'd realised that he would be going along, with or without her permission. And so instead of wasting time and energy yelling at him – though Jiraiya was pretty sure he'd be in for an earful sometime in the near future – the Hokage addressed the rest of the newly formed retrieval squad. And her commanding tone proved yet again that Jiraiya had made the right decision when putting her forward as Hokage instead of himself.

"Okay listen up! Your mission has one objective. Find Kakashi Hatake!"

* * *

Many miles away, the Copy-Ninja almost heard his name being spoken, like a whisper in the dark, a rustle of wind through the trees. But for all this poetic conjecture, it was in fact late afternoon, and there was no draft brave enough to penetrate the bawdy tavern he'd decided to hole up in for the night. He was surrounded by drunken Yugakure villagers, but there were three main reasons why Kakashi had decided not to disguise his appearance.

Firstly, using his chakra to maintain a transformation technique would've been a much better confirmation of his presence to the trackers than some far-gone fool's testimony. Secondly, he didn't really mind the retrieval squad knowing that he'd frequented this place – it wouldn't help them to catch him once he decided to disguise his trail. And thirdly, his enemy already knew he was coming, so Kakashi had no need to hide from him, at least not yet. But this meant that he was going to have to wait quite a while before he'd be able to grab a drink. After all, lowering his mask in front of his friends was one thing, but the Copy-Ninja revealing his face to complete strangers was something else entirely.

It would also be a few hours yet before he'd turn in for the night, so Kakashi sat contemplatively at the bar; using the time he had to run through the different possible scenarios for his upcoming task. There were four main variables that the Jonin had to take into account. Namely: the tracking squad catching up with him, meeting resistance on the way to his destination, Ikari not being at the stronghold, and Asuma at some point calling him for backup. These four factors alone – considering that any number of them could occur in any combination at any point, or not at all – left Kakashi with sixty-five basic scenarios. But of course there were countless other factors that could be subject to change during any stage of his task. Thus Kakashi was thinking rather hard about how best to respond to each permutation of events.

And so when he felt a none too gentle tap on his shoulder, the Copy-Ninja was not altogether thrilled. He turned to glare at the man who had just sat down next to him. This ninja – who by his headband, was either here on business or vacation from the Land of Frost– was making a rather impolite scrutiny of his appearance. It only took Kakashi a discreet half-second to do the same. The man was broad with swarthy skin, which on one from the icy recesses of Frost Country was quite rare. He looked over a decade older than Kakashi, and had he been standing, the Jonin would have estimated this ninja to be a few inches taller. His shoulder length grey hair held a sickly sheen to it that showed he'd been travelling for quite some time, clearly without affording himself the luxury of taking a shower. The damp, musky scent of the man's body, as he leaned in closer confirmed this impression. And the more recent stench of saké, which permeated this foul odour, showed that he'd already had more than a few drinks.

Kakashi raised one eyebrow. "Is there something I can help you with?"

The shinobi in question narrowed his eyes, his expression now a cross between indignation and confusion. His voice was deep, and perhaps would even have seemed threatening, were it not for the fact that he was slurring his words. "You don't exist," he stated with absolute conviction.

Kakashi lifted one of his gloved hands, clenching and unclenching his fingers, as if inspecting the body part's solidity. This continued for a few moments before he replied in a bored tone, "On the contrary, it seems I do. You must have me confused with someone else."

Naturally the sarcastic comment only augmented the ninja's growing irritation. "I know who you are," he snarled. "Don't think you can pull one over on me. I'm a Frost ninja!"

Kakashi looked lazily up at the man's Frost headband as he responded. "Really? I would never have guessed."

This comment seemed to go over the man's head and he lowered his voice further. "Well it's true; and where I come from, there are plenty of people who don't even think you exist. That you're just a story made up to frighten little children. When I was a kid, I thought the same about your bastard father. So what ever happened to your old man, eh? Perhaps he wasn't so invincible after all. Maybe that Ikari Iyoku really did finish him off."

At this, Kakashi sat up a little straighter. He'd only been half listening to the ninja's drunken ramblings, but as soon as he'd heard Ikari's name – in relation to his father, no less – he'd realised that this shinobi might actually have some useful information.

And so, in a movement too swift to be noticed by the man beside him, Kakashi uncovered his Sharingan and locked eyes with the now startled ninja.

The man seemed to recover quickly from his shock. "So that's the infamous Sharingan eye. Where I come from, they say that no one ever lives to see that eye twice."

"That's correct," the Copy-Ninja replied, his lethargic tone now deeply menacing.

The ninja's eyes widened slightly and it was easy to hear the fear in his voice. "You think I'm afraid of you? I'm a Jonin!"

Kakashi sighed. "Well clearly you haven't held that position long enough to know that it's not something you should be boasting about."

The supposed Jonin smirked. "I have nothing to be ashamed of. Not all of us are cold-blooded killers like you, Copy-Ninja."

Kakashi decided that this conversation had gone on quite long enough. Without another word, he rose and swiftly exited the tavern. He could hear, as well as smell, the Jonin following close behind him – just as his subtle genjutsu had ordered. As the Copy-Ninja stepped out into the muted glow of the overcast sunset, the biting air sharpened his senses further. He could now easily detect the ninja's killing intent.

Swiftly Kakashi made his way to the deserted alley that ran alongside the tavern. The steep walls blocked out the remainder of the sun's already diminished light. The drunken shinobi was only a few steps behind him now. Kakashi deliberately stopped in feigned surprise as he reached the alley's dead end, which had previously been obscured by the darkness.

He could feel the Jonin's brutal grin as the man said, "Finally we're alone."

Kakashi smirked. "Indeed."

He spun around and his eyes locked with the ninja's once more. Finally he was able to initiate the more powerful genjutsu that he hadn't wanted to perform in the crowded tavern.

"Now," he began steadily, "tell me everything you know about Ikari Iyoku and the connection he has to White Fang."

For the first time since they'd had the pleasure of becoming acquainted, Kakashi saw something close to a sane expression form on the Jonin's face, which he knew was a result of the genjutsu he'd just been placed under. Then, after a moment's pause he began. "It is rumoured among Frost Jonin that about twenty years ago, shortly before his supposed death, the White Fang of Konoha was sent to the Land of Frost on an undercover mission. And there, that piece of scum encountered the mighty Ikari Iyoku. The White Fang was overpowered, brought to his knees, and forced to beg for mercy, which he was given but didn't deserve."

Kakashi felt his heart rate double, a part of him wanted to slaughter the man right there, just to stop any more words from forming on his slanderous lips. But he knew that this information was vital to his current task.

His voice was tight but still commanding. "Continue."

"As I'm sure you know," the Jonin went on, "between the Second and Third Shinobi World Wars, Frost was looking to advance its power, as their rule was being questioned from within. They planned to invade the Land of Hot Water, which no longer had a ninja village of its own. The Land of Fire, Hot Water's ally, must have somehow received this information. We suspect that they secretly dispatched a cell to eliminate the head of Frost's army, thus stalling the invasion until Konoha could amass a full contingent to send to Hot Water's aid. But this mission failed. The head of the army survived, and the invasion went ahead as planned. And no one among the Great Nations failed to hear of just how many Konoha shinobi lost their lives trying to drive Frost back out of Hot Water."

Kakashi had heard of this catastrophe, but he hadn't known of the cell sent to undermine the army's power from the inside. And he had also never known any details about his father's last mission – only the consequences of his final choice. But it seemed that this man knew more, and so he waited for him to continue.

"There is little else known about the incident, and Frost is now one of Konoha's supposed allies, and no longer occupies Hot Water. But rumours have long been circulating that it was in fact the White Fang who led that failed mission, and that Ikari Iyoku was the one who stopped him. In light of this, Ikari's popularity grew, until there were many who would have accepted him as the new leader of Frost. But the higher ups heard of this, and a decade after the incident, when it became clear that the Iyoku Clan finally planned to stage a coup, they began rallying support against him. Bit by bit Ikari's following diminished, and with his hope gone, that once great and powerful man took his own life, in an explosion that the leaders tried to pass off to other nations as a freak accident. Kitai Iyoku, Ikari's heir, was only a boy when he took over from his father, and so the Frost leaders tried to win his loyalty. He is to this day the only member of the Iyoku Clan ever to wear a Frost headband. Although nowadays, not much is known about the affairs of the Iyoku. They're nomadic, and months can pass without anyone from Frost knowing where they are or what they're doing. The leaders only put up with it because they believe that they have Kitai under their control, and if it came to a war, the Iyoku Clan – although small in number – would be a formidable fighting force to have onside."

By now, Kakashi was barely even listening. His mind was numb, and he said in an emotionless tone, "That's all the information I need. Now return to that hellhole of a tavern, and forget you ever saw me."

Silently, the man obeyed. And Kakashi was left alone in the growing darkness, contemplating how even now, his father's last noble act was still haunting him. Of course it could all just be rumour and nothing more. But Kakashi knew that back then, if anyone had been capable of leading a cell to assassinate the head of Frost's army, it would have been the White Fang. And everything would have been fine, had that murderous bastard not gotten involved. So, Ikari had wanted to be the famous hero who'd eliminated Konoha's White Fang. Heh… well he'd failed. Sakumo Hatake had died on his own terms, even if the events that had caused his death had been beyond his control.

The Copy-Ninja growled low in his throat. First Rin, and now his father? If it was the last thing he ever did, Kakashi would hunt that bastard down!

* * *

It had taken a few days, but finally Yamato's wood clone had returned with the latest news from the village. The ANBU had been training with Naruto for just over two weeks now. Originally Kakashi-Senpai had been with them. Although after he'd shown Naruto how to access the shared memory of his kage-bunshin, he'd admitted that practically speaking, there was little else left for him to do. After all, Yamato himself was only needed to suppress the Nine-tails while Naruto tried to take his Rasengan to the next level. But neither of them had minded having that masked ninja around. However, a few days ago, the Jonin had been summoned back to the village in order to complete an S-rank mission. And Yamato's wood clone had primarily been sent to find out exactly when they should be expecting the Copy-Ninja's return.

But the news that he'd received was disturbing to say the least. As the clone had been secretly approaching the village, he'd noticed a cell departing. And one member of this cell, Might Guy, had been talking rather loudly about the unparalleled importance of uncovering the whereabouts of his Eternal Rival, and saving him from grave danger. As Kakashi's former student, Yamato knew all too well about his Senpai's one-sided rivalry with Guy. That nauseating Green Beast had crashed more than a few of his former ANBU team's supposedly private training sessions in the years that Kakashi had been Captain. And each time he'd come there, it'd been with some new absurd challenge for his so-called 'rival' to perform. But the most startling thing of all was that – although Kakashi had never acknowledged Guy as a rival – he'd actually taken part in these insane tasks, which had covered everything from blindfolded kunai-throwing, to seeing who could recite the longest passage from the Icha Icha series by heart – the latter having predictably been his Senpai's suggestion. And Yamato wasn't sure whether it was a testament to Kakashi's skill or his own insanity that even in spite of all this, he and every other Operative who'd ever served under the Copy-Ninja all implicitly trusted the man with their lives.

But now it seemed that somehow Kakashi's own life had been put in danger. And this was not something that sat particularly well with his former student, and probably wouldn't go down very well with his current students either. However, the ANBU severely doubted that the Hokage would be willing to share all the details regarding any mission involving the Copy-Ninja. But still, if something had happened to Kakashi-Senpai, then Yamato was not just going to sit there and do nothing.

"Naruto!" he called to the blonde. Or rather the thousand blondes who were currently occupying a fairly sizable part of the surrounding land. "Training's over for today."

With a thousand identical moans of complaint, Naruto's kage-bunshin all dispatched themselves until there was only one hyperactive Genin left in the vast plain.

"But Captain Yamato, I've barely even got started yet!"

Yamato smiled at the boy's stamina; after all, they'd been training for at least eight hours today already.

With a quick teleportation jutsu, the ANBU shimmered over to where the kid stood with his arms indignantly folded across his chest and a pout already fully formed on his lips.

His voice was stern as he addressed the sulking teen. "Something's come up, something important. And we've got to get moving now."

Naruto looked at him in confusion. "But I thought we were meant to be staying put until Kakashi-Sensei gets back."

Yamato grimaced as the Genin inadvertently brought up the reason for their untimely departure. Although it wasn't as if he could make Naruto just pack up and leave without giving him some kind of explanation.

He sighed. "Kakashi can't get to us right now, so we're going to him. But there are some people already trying to find him, so we'll be meeting up with them first."

Naruto's look of bewilderment intensified. "What people? What the hell's going on?" his voice then dropped to a whisper. "Has something bad happened to Kakashi-Sensei?"

The ANBU calmly met his charge's confused stare. "The people we're meeting up with are Guy, Sakura, Sai, and Lord Jiraiya."

The Jinchuriki's eyes widened in excitement. "Pervy-Sage? Wait… I thought he was off doing research."

Yamato shrugged. "I don't know much more than you do Naruto, but I promise that once we catch up with them, we'll hear the full story. They only left a handful of hours ago, and by the looks of things, they were headed in our direction. My guess is they passed close by here and we should be able to catch up with them quite easily."

Naruto still looked dubious. "And they'll know where Kakashi-Sensei is?"

"Probably," by which Yamato secretly meant hopefully.

If something had indeed happened to Kakashi-Senpai, then they needed to know about it. Although Yamato was pretty sure that the Hokage would not look too kindly upon him interfering with her cell's mission. But at the same time, maybe with his and Naruto's help, they'd manage to retrieve Kakashi that bit more easily. Then again, that said, he currently didn't even know why his Senpai needed retrieving, let alone where he needed retrieving from. But what he did know was that if it would help to protect Kakashi-Senpai, then the Hokage's anger was a price worth paying.

* * *

The immortal duo was making their way steadily to the nearest collection office, when suddenly they received a summons from their master. They felt the Leader's presence in their minds as he informed them that the extraction of the Two and Three-Tailed Beasts would now commence, and would last for the better part of the next few days.

This had annoyed Kakuzu mainly because it meant that the state of the monk's body might start to deteriorate. He felt it possible that the price on Chiriku's head would diminish unless he was brought there unspoilt. And Hidan was concerned about this as well because he had no desire to be stuck next to a slowly rotting corpse for days on end. Especially when being immobilised meant that he couldn't even perform a purification ritual.

Neither of those formidable villains was happy about this delay, but they both knew that it could give rise to some rather interesting circumstances. After all, they were aware that all over Fire Country, there were cells of Konoha ninja looking for them. These teams contained some relatively powerful shinobi, but there was one in particular who'd caught the eye of these S-rank felons. And that was Asuma Sarutobi.

According to the intel they'd gathered, the Third Hokage's son had stopped back at the village before setting out on his search once more. And considering that he and Chiriku had been part of the Guardian Twelve together, the Jonin likely knew that his old comrade had a high price on his head, and so would have guessed where his body might've been taken. And from Konoha, it ought to take him enough time to arrive that the duo would be ready to greet him properly.

Both of these Akatsuki members hoped so. Hidan was keen to sacrifice the man's soul to his God, Jashin. And Kakuzu was keen to obtain the body of one whose bounty was five million ryo above even that of mighty Chiriku. Yes, each of them had an agenda involving Asuma Sarutobi. But unfortunately they would both have to wait. However, once the sealing process was complete, nothing would stand in their way. That Jonin would die by their hands. And they knew that there was no one capable of preventing it.


	9. Hunted

Chapter 9

Hunted

The chase was on. One man was trying to track down an old enemy, while this very enemy was also hunting him. Two villains were waiting for their prey to fall into their trap, knowing that this was exactly that prey's intention anyway. And four ninja were trying desperately to locate their comrade. Whilst at the same time, there were another two trying to track these four and join them in their endeavour. Yes, many shinobi were on the hunt – as shinobi so often are. And they all knew that the paths they walked would inevitably lead to bloodshed, and in the end to death.

* * *

Sai looked up from the sketchbook in his hands as he began to sense a familiar presence somewhere in the distance. His brow furrowed in slight confusion; after all, what he was detecting made absolutely no sense. He glanced at the others but they all seemed oblivious to his observation. It was the team's first break of the day, and Guy was loudly declaring that it must also be their last if they were to have any chance of reaching his "Eternal Rival" in time. The Jonin's use of this title when referring to Kakashi had confused the young Root Operative. After all, his Sensei had never displayed any sign of maintaining a rivalry with his comrade, and according to the texts a rivalry was supposed to be a mutual bond of shared competition.

Kakashi-Sensei had described Naruto and Sasuke's relationship thus, but never his own and Guy's. Then, thinking of Naruto, Sai realised that he ought to inform the others that there appeared to be a two-man cell attempting to catch up with them. And that from what he could detect – as they were making no attempt to conceal their chakra – the members of this cell were Captain Yamato and Naruto himself.

He stood and crossed over to where Jiraiya was consulting an intricate map of the Land of Frost.

The Root member spoke softly. "Lord Jiraiya, it appears that we are being followed."

The Sannin raised one eyebrow before closing his eyes in concentration. "So we are," he responded after a few moments.

Sakura looked over at them from where she'd been re-checking her medical supplies. "What's going on?" she asked in a voice that, to Sai, sounded more than a little concerned.

It was Jiraiya who answered. "It appears we're about to have company."

Then Guy – who had finally noticed the conversation – struck a pose that Sai simply could not see the need for, before proclaiming in a deafening tone, "Aha! So there are people tracking the trackers… How crafty!"

Jiraiya smirked. "Well considering one of them appears to be Naruto, 'crafty' isn't really the word I'd use."

Sai stared at the man blankly for a moment before asking, "What word would you use?"

For some reason, this made the Sannin laugh, even as he responded, "Let's just say something tells me our little team has found itself two new members."

At this Sakura jumped to her feet – her face a shade redder than usual. "WHAT? Not Naruto! Lord Jiraiya, this is supposed to be a COVERT MISSION. That idiot'll blow our cover before we even get there!"

When Jiraiya answered, he sounded somewhat offended, which Sai didn't understand as Sakura had been talking about Naruto not him. "I have taught the kid a few things about discretion you know. And besides, if you keep that volume up, you're going to be the one blowing our cover not Naruto."

Sakura's face reddened further but she didn't respond. Not that she would have had a chance to, as at that moment the very ninja whom they'd been discussing burst onto the scene – with Captain Yamato following close behind him. The ANBU looked rather out of breath, and it seemed that they'd been pushing themselves even harder than the retrieval squad.

"Good afternoon Naruto," Sai greeted his comrade calmly.

The blonde ignored him and instead addressed Lord Jiraiya. "What the hell were you thinking not telling me something's happened to Kakashi-Sensei, Pervy Sage?"

Sai watched as Yamato's face flushed the same hue as Sakura's. His tone was clearly apologetic. "I'm so sorry Lord Jiraiya. It's just that one of my clones saw your team departing and overheard that Kakashi-Senpai was in some danger. I hope you don't mind, but we felt that perhaps you could use some more backup. Or at least we hoped that we'd be able to come along even if you didn't."

Jiraiya laughed and ruffled Naruto's hair, which the Genin didn't seem to particularly enjoy, before responding to Captain Yamato's request. "However polite you make that sound, Yamato, I don't think either of you will be taking no for an answer," he sighed. "Sure, why not. I don't know about Naruto, but your skills could certainly come in useful down the line."

"Hey!" protested Naruto loudly.

This only caused the Sannin to laugh again before continuing. "I guess you want us to explain the situation."

Yamato gave another apologetic smile. "If it's not to much trouble."

Sai noticed that when talking to Lord Jiraiya, Captain Yamato's tone was very different from the one he used when trying to keep Team Kakashi in line. He found it interesting that one person could present two such opposing demeanours depending on whom they were addressing.

The Root member slowly sat back down, before returning to his drawing. He had no need to listen to the others being filled in on their team's objective. But then a frown crossed Sai's lips, as briefly he wondered how Kakashi-Sensei would've felt knowing that Naruto had joined this mission. After all, the Hokage had informed them that there was currently a pair of Akatsuki members roaming the Land of Fire. And something told Sai that Naruto had been sent away to train under the watchful eyes of both Kakashi and Yamato for a good reason.

* * *

Night had finally fallen over the Land of Frost. Or at least Ikari Iyoku assumed that it had. He had not ventured out to check. He sat cross-legged on the floor of what had once been the compound's meticulously well-ordered, intricately decorated study. Blackened parchment from ancient scrolls now carpeted the charred floorboards. Ikari shot out a hand to snatch up the nearest one. It was a ninjutsu scroll, or at least part of one; only the last five signs were still legible: "Tora, Ushi, Saru, U, Tori." The final seals of the Great Waterfall Technique. Ikari laughed without a trace of humour, knowing that it was a bit too late for that.

But now was not the time to reflect on such things. His wife's death had been necessary. After all, it'd been she who'd informed the Frost High Council of his plans to stage a coup. And of course the fact that she'd seemingly killed herself after his own supposed death had effectively removed all question of blame from his shoulders. And only she may have suspected that his death was in fact a part of some grander scheme. Yes, it had indeed been necessary. The woman had never shared his ambition, or his passion to forge a better future; a future in which the Iyoku Clan finally reigned supreme. After all, they were more than deserving. His ancestors had helped to craft a barren, icy wasteland into a prosperous shinobi civilisation. And just like the Uchiha of the Leaf, they'd received nothing for their efforts. Many of his kinsmen had fought and died in countless battles, all in the name of Frost Country. But no deed that his clan had ever performed had been enough to give them their fair share of authority over the land that they'd helped to create.

That was until the White Fang had come along. So feared and renowned was he, that taking him down might have secured Ikari a place as the leader of Frost. This had become his objective from the moment he'd discovered that the man intended to secretly infiltrate his land. And he'd known as soon as he'd first detected the presence of that formidable shinobi what his one weak point would be. For some people it was pride, for others it was cowardice, but when Ikari Iyoku had encountered the White Fang, even he had been surprised. After all, the legends from his own childhood had taught that there was no shinobi more merciless in the slaughtering of their enemies than the dreaded White Fang of Konoha. Could such an evil man truly care so deeply for his comrades that he'd be willing to sacrifice everything in order to save them?

Apparently so. And not only had Ikari used this to his advantage to lure the White Fang into an ambush, he'd also managed to make it look as though he'd been helping Frost by causing Leaf's undercover mission to fail. But in the end that damned bastard had gotten away. So even though the incident had ended up working in Ikari's favour, his failure to kill the White Fang had meant that his plan to finally conquer Frost with a large enough following behind him had failed. Thus he'd had no choice but to bide his time until another opportunity had presented itself.

And it hadn't been until many years later that he began to hear whispers of a new terror, spreading like a curse through all lands that were enemies of the Leaf. The infamous Copy-Ninja; Ikari's second chance! But by the time that chance had manifested itself, it'd been too late. His wife had sold him out, and the Frost leaders had already begun putting their counter measures into place. In fact the only reason that Kakashi Hatake had been journeying to Frost had been to discuss a matter of national security with the Daimyo, which Ikari'd known had pertained to his clan's extermination. Frost had intended to ask for Konoha's help in wiping out the Iyoku Clan once and for all. Because the Leaf Village would have been able to relate, as at the time they'd still had the traitorous Uchiha Clan to deal with.

Thus Ikari had known that his only option had been to pass the torch on to the next generation. The clan marking jutsu had ensured that he'd still be able to pull the strings from afar. All he'd had to do after that was to fake his own death, and plant the seeds of revenge in Kitai's heart, while making it appear to Frost's ignorant rulers that he'd killed himself out of shame in one final act of repentance for his treacherous ways. And after his seeming death, they'd of course no longer needed Konoha's help, as they'd thought that they could easily win Kitai over. But his son had never truly been theirs. He'd served only his father, until the day he died. Yes, Ikari was quite sure of that.

And if Kitai had succeeded in killing the Copy-Ninja, this time there would have been no denying that the Iyoku deserved to rule over Frost. In fact, half of the reason that they'd become nomadic in the first place after the stronghold's destruction had been to amass a following among the Frost ninja. And now it had all been for nothing!

Ikari knew that even if he killed the Copy-Ninja now, the Frost leaders would still have him hunted down and killed simply for having faked his own death – not to mention the takeover he'd been planning beforehand. But power and glory, although still entering mockingly into his dreams, were no longer at the forefront of Ikari's mind. Revenge! That was all that mattered now. Murdering Kakashi Hatake. Watching him writhe in pain. And seeing whether the rumours were true that the son had managed to surpass the father. Even if he could no longer take credit for the deed, making that accursed upstart suffer was all that Ikari Iyoku had left to live for. Everything else had been taken from him.

And Kakashi Hatake would suffer. In fact, he'd already ensured that the Copy-Ninja's journey to the compound would be only the start of that suffering. Ikari closed his eyes and – sitting perfectly still – activated a jutsu that went well beyond simple chakra-detection. Some would have called it senjutsu, and they would not have been far wrong. The Iyoku Clan Kekkei Genkai gave him powers similar to the students of Mount Myoboku. He was the only one in five generations to inherit the full extent of this ability, and the only person in the history of the clan to have inherited it in tandem with the Iyoku mind techniques. And Ikari had no intention of letting these powers go to waste.

After a few moments, he opened his eyes once more and a smile crept slowly over his lips. Kakashi Hatake had entered the Land of Frost. This was where his fun began. He had a few surprises in store for the Jonin. The legends told that it was impossible to catch Kakashi Hatake off guard. And Ikari would just have to prove that those arrogant rumours – probably propagated by the Copy-Ninja himself – could not have been more wrong.

* * *

Even under the cover of darkness, Kakashi could easily tell where the Land of Hot Water ended and the Land of Frost began. This border crossing was known to virtually no one, even within the two nations that it separated. But by the feel of the frozen earth beneath his feet, and the smell of the raw, biting air, Kakashi knew that he had finally returned to the land that for eleven years had been stalking his nightmares. However, even those brief yet torturous flashes of recollection, which had occasionally appeared to him in sleep, had never been quite enough to inform him of exactly what had taken place here all those years ago.

He sighed and tried to gather his bearings. The Jonin knew the stronghold's location in relation to Frost's easternmost border, but he had just crossed into the south-western section of the land, and so he was still quite far from his destination. Kakashi was not in the least superstitious, however he simply couldn't escape the nagging feeling that his journey to the other side was not going to go smoothly. Maintaining cover from both his friends and his enemies would be hard enough, but the Copy-Ninja was fairly sure that his problems weren't going to end there. Something told him that Ikari Iyoku wouldn't just let him saunter through Frost unchallenged. But the nature of those challenges might prove useful in determining just what skills the former clan leader possessed.

Thus, undaunted, the Copy-Ninja took a purposeful step further into the Land of Frost. Now that he was here, he suppressed even the faintest trace of his chakra until he was certain that even if Jiraiya was tracking him, and he was in Sage Mode, he would still find it difficult to detect him. But then, as Kakashi sensed an almost imperceptible shift in the air around him, he knew that somehow his enemy had found him already.

The Copy-Ninja uncovered his Sharingan and tried to prepare himself for what was to come. As he'd predicted, he felt a genjutsu begin to unfold around him – but he managed to release himself from it before it fully formed. However, as Kakashi heard a voice seeming to emanate from the very depths of his mind, he knew that he'd already underestimated the complexity of his enemy's technique.

"We meet at last… Kakashi Hatake."

That was when Kakashi realised. That soft, menacing voice, which promised to take great pleasure in causing him as much pain as possible, was not in fact a projection of genjutsu – it was his own memory! Ikari Iyoku was trying to catch him off guard by returning the very recollections he'd stolen – but not all at once, of course. Kakashi closed his eyes and tried to focus on the voice in his mind, desperately struggling to remember what'd happened next. He was rewarded with only one image. His enemy's face, hidden by the shade of his cloak's hood; revealing only his thin, sadistically curving lips and the scar that ran from the base of his sharp jaw-line up the right side of his concealed face.

Then, as Kakashi saw a pale, long-fingered hand reach up to draw the hood back, he fought to hold onto the memory – even as it began to fade. A chilling flash of silver – his enemy's eyes – were the last thing Kakashi saw before a spike of pain shot through his head and brought him to his knees. It was useless, Ikari Iyoku was just playing with him. Revealing the truth moment by moment, and never relinquishing control over his mind. Kakashi growled at the thought that the bastard was manipulating him so easily.

And by the level of pain currently coursing through his head, Kakashi realised that the effects of the Iyoku's mind techniques were far more than just illusory. The Jonin struggled to regulate the erratic beating of his heart, and tried to remain steady as getting to his feet caused his vision to swim and bursts of white light to flash before his eyes. The Copy-Ninja waited until his sight had cleared slightly before moving off, whilst trying to distance his mind from the constant, throbbing agony that was threatening to bring him to his knees once more. Hopefully, over the course of his journey to the stronghold, Kakashi would have time to analyse and unravel this disturbingly effective jutsu. But somehow he doubted that Ikari was quite finished playing games just yet.

Still, an hour passed without incident and eventually Kakashi's headache decreased to a more manageable level. Which was fortunate, as in the distance he was just about able to detect an undercover night patrol, probably roaming Frost for any sign of trouble. The Jonin knew that only a matter of minutes ago, he might still have been too distracted by the pain in his head to notice them. Yes, the Copy-Ninja was most certainly not happy about Ikari Iyoku's recent incursion into his mind. But at least it meant that when he met the bastard, Kakashi would be somewhat more prepared to counter his techniques.

However, formulating a reliable means for resisting the jutsu would just have to wait until he'd slipped past the patrol unnoticed. They were still a ways off, but it always paid to be cautious, especially when travelling alone in a hostile environment. Because one of the many things that his brief encounter with the Frost Jonin the day before had taught him, was that the Copy-Ninja's presence in this country would certainly not be welcomed. Well… it wasn't as if he was particularly pleased to be here either.

Kakashi concentrated on keeping his chakra signature low and his footfalls silent as he began to make his way around the patrol. He could sense that it was a typical four-man cell, and even without using chakra to enhance his perceptions, the Copy-Ninja was able to deduce the approximate build and abilities of the four ninja. Two of them possessed an impressively large quantity of chakra. Another seemed to be a head taller than even Ibiki Morino and equally as well-built. But it was the fourth member of the group that intrigued Kakashi the most. Her light, delicate steps immediately confirmed her gender, and she had actually managed to suppress her chakra to the point that Kakashi would have needed to use his own in order to fully detect her presence. And although through rigorous training it was possible to master the art of completely concealing one's chakra – as he himself had done many years previous – having that ability naturally normally meant that the ninja in question was a sensory type. And if that was true of this particular kunoichi, then it could certainly cause some problems for Kakashi if he wasn't careful. So of course, careful was exactly what Kakashi was going to be.

But then, just as the Jonin felt himself passing out of detection range, his enemy's second string of mind games began. Before he could stop it, the scene transformed in front of his eyes until the Copy-Ninja knew precisely where he'd ended up. He was still in the Land of Frost, but he could no longer sense the four-man cell in the distance. However even this concern passed from Kakashi's mind as a searing pain shot through his abdomen and then through his back. It felt as though he'd just had a sword pushed through his body – Ikari Iyoku's sword to be precise. Yes, Kakashi remembered it now, but still only in hazy flashes – made all the harder to focus on by the agony of his imagined injury. He knew that this particular wound had been healed at some point. But that was all the Copy-Ninja was able to discern before he realised that – although he'd just about managed to keep from screaming aloud – his sharp intake of breath as the invisible blade had pierced his body, had likely alerted the patrol squad to his presence.

Kakashi fought to end the genjutsu. He could now feel the cell approaching, but still he couldn't move. As the Jonin felt blood gushing from his injury, he knew that mental resistance alone would not be enough to counter such a powerful technique. However, using chakra was simply not an option whilst he still had an entire tracking squad after him. And luckily he knew that the blood he felt pouring down his body was not real, and thus would not aid his comrades in picking up his scent. Although to be honest, Kakashi currently had bigger things to worry about than that. After all, the Frost cell would be there any moment and he either had to flee now or prepare to face them. But unfortunately in his present position, the Jonin was unable to do either.

Just as he was beginning to feel that chakra use would be inevitable, Kakashi felt a sharp yet familiar pain run through his right thigh. And the Jonin knew that this sensation – although he'd experienced it on more than a few occasions in the past – was not being generated by his memory. Thus, with immense effort, Kakashi latched onto the pain and – using it as an anchor point – managed to finally pull himself back to the real world.

Instinctively he reached out a hand and patted the head of his largest ninja hound, a signal that the beast could now desist from sinking a razor sharp set of fangs into his leg.

"Okay Buru… that's enough," Kakashi commanded breathlessly. He knew that the powerful bulldog had drawn blood, but it had been necessary, and luckily it was not enough for him to be tracked by.

It was Pakkun who responded – with a mixture of concern, incredulity and outright anger. "What the hell have you gotten yourself into this time, Pup?"

Kakashi shrugged and got shakily to his feet, the new puncture holes in his thigh not making the motion any easier.

"We can talk about that in a minute, right now I need to disappear."

With that, Kakashi sprinted silently into the darkness, just as he heard the patrol squad crashing onto the scene behind him. The Copy-Ninja then leapt into the nearest tree, making sure that he was still within earshot of the four-man cell, but that they wouldn't be able to detect him. However, if they'd spotted him already, then Kakashi knew that he'd have no choice but to go back and deal with them before they put the entire country on high alert. Which would probably end up happening either way, but at least if he made the first move it might buy him some more time.

Pakkun jumped up beside him, whilst Buru dutifully patrolled the tree's base. The squad had begun a routine scan of the immediate area, and Kakashi knew that he had only a few minutes to try and pull himself together before he'd have to decide whether or not to engage them. Ikari's second attack had left him feeling rather disconcerted; he simply could not afford to let his entire journey pass like this. But without using chakra, or having Buru onside to bite him every time he got caught in his enemy's traps, Kakashi wasn't yet sure of how to prevent it. Although he knew that in time he'd come up with something; right now, however, there were more pressing matters.

He turned towards his smallest summon and answered before the pug had a chance to repeat his earlier question. "I'm currently trying to locate an old enemy who is particularly adept in the art of mind control – and apparently long-range tracking as well."

Pakkun's response was sceptical to say the least. "I'd say adept is a bit of an understatement considering that Buru had to practically bite your leg off in order to bring you back to the real world. You were in so deep I don't even think him barking at his loudest would've snapped you out of it – and we both know that's saying something!"

Kakashi smirked. "Well considering that there's a patrol squad currently trying to locate me, his bark would've certainly been a lot worse than his bite."

Pakkun rolled his eyes and his voice was stern. "You sure you can handle it, kid?"

The Jonin smiled at his old friend. "And here was me thinking you'd finally kicked the habit of asking stupid questions."

Pakkun growled but Kakashi's voice then grew serious. "You know full well that can and can't don't come into it. I'm going to handle it."

The pug sighed. "Right then. Should I assume that you'd like to know who's currently tracking you, or would that count as a stupid question too?"

Kakashi grinned. "No, that'd actually be quite helpful."

Pakkun paused for a moment, as if debating whether Kakashi still deserved the knowledge after having insulted him, but eventually his loyalty seemed to win out over his stubborn nature – although his tone was still far from amiable. "Well, the initial squad consisted of that over-emotional medic girl, the second-rate artist Root member, your nauseating so-called rival, and that foolish old pervert who, as usual, seems to have declared himself leader of the whole operation."

Kakashi chuckled at Pakkun's merciless categorisation of his comrades, but at the same time it worried him that those sent on this potentially lethal mission were all people for whom he cared deeply. And the way that the pug had phrased it showed Kakashi that he was not finished yet.

Sure enough, the summon continued. "But somehow that idiotic, hyperactive Genin, as well as your favourite ANBU lapdog have ended up coming along for the ride as well. Though it seems that no one's bothered to let the Hokage in on this fact."

Kakashi placed one hand against his forehead and quietly groaned. Was it so hard for things to just go smoothly for once? Just once could he not complete a task where the most unlikely, unfortunate scenarios didn't end up actually happening?

He sighed before meeting Pakkun's penetrating gaze. "How far away are they?"

"Well over a day at the moment," the dog answered immediately, "but at the speed they're travelling while you're trying to stay undetected and collapsing every few minutes, I doubt it'll remain that way for long."

Kakashi was about to respond but then his head jerked up as he heard the patrol team approaching. He addressed his summon hurriedly. "Thanks for the info Pakkun. Now I want you and Buru to get the hell out of here, understood?"

The pug glared at him, but he knew it'd been an order. His tone was more than a little fed up. "If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times before: please don't get yourself killed! I don't want to be stuck looking after the whole damned pack."

"Noted," Kakashi replied with a smirk.

Then, from the bottom of the tree, Buru gave a low warning growl. Pakkun jumped down to join his friend and they both looked back up at Kakashi expectantly. The Jonin nodded in response and a moment later the two summons vanished in a cloud of smoke. Then Kakashi himself jumped down to the ground, just as the four-man cell emerged from the denser section of woods that they'd previously been patrolling. They noticed him immediately, and Kakashi was pleased to see that his earlier assessment of their characteristics had been accurate. Two of them looked fairly ordinary – one with short blonde hair, one with shoulder-length brown – but they gave the impression of being quite skilled. A third towered above the rest, but held himself poised in a manner that showed his size would do nothing to hinder his movements in battle. While the fourth, and only female member of the team, had already drawn her katana. Her lithe body reminded Kakashi of Yugao Uzuki, and now that she was no longer suppressing her chakra, he could tell that she too was fairly powerful.

It was four against one, but to be honest he'd faced far worse odds in the past. Kakashi watched as the brown haired man stepped forward. He wore a tight black shirt that did nothing to hide his muscular frame, and from what the Copy-Ninja could sense, he seemed to have by far the most potent chakra of the group.

His voice was a rich baritone, and although this man held an air of power and authority, it was clear that if they'd met under different circumstances, Kakashi would have had no reason to consider him an enemy.

He seemed to be choosing his words carefully. "Based on your appearance, you can only be one man, although there are few in this land who can claim to have ever truly laid eyes on you, and even fewer whose claims are actually believed. I would like to know what brings you to Frost, Copy-Ninja. Based on your intentions we may have to arrest and interrogate you – even if the legends do say that you are impossible to capture."

Kakashi raised one eyebrow. "You shouldn't believe all you hear in stories. Although it is true that being captured is an experience that I generally try to avoid."

And having said that, the Jonin began thinking of the various ways in which he could incapacitate these opponents, preferably without killing them, while still maintaining his anonymity to the rest of Frost for as long as possible. After all, these were not evil people, nor were they necessarily his enemies. They were simply looking after their country's welfare, which understandably the Copy-Ninja would've been seen as rather a large threat to.

The Jonin sighed, hoping that he'd manage to carry out the necessary task whilst still leaving a low enough chakra residue that the retrieval squad wouldn't be able to sense it. Although considering exactly who was in that squad, the possibility of remaining undetected had shrunk drastically.

Kakashi took a purposeful step towards the patrol team, but then – as he was halfway through the motion – his knees suddenly gave out from under him. For the hundredth time that day, Kakashi cursed Ikari Iyoku even as he collapsed onto the ground. It wasn't long before he was confronted by yet another painful memory from his last visit to this country.

He lay there in a growing pool of his own blood, barely conscious. Somewhere in front of him a man was laughing. It was a high-pitched, unnatural laugh that stabbed through his mind as surely as the man's katana had stabbed through his body. Kakashi knew that the end was near. But at the same time, he still had the vague knowledge that somehow he'd made it out alive.

The more he tried to fight against the technique, the more he could feel his injury as if it were real. And even as he struggled to free himself, the Copy-Ninja knew that his current opponents were closing in – probably pleased that their task of incapacitating him had been done for them. But this wasn't over yet. He focused hard on the all-too-vivid memory, willing himself to remember more. But just as before, all this resulted in was a sudden splitting headache, which alone was enough to threaten his tenuous grip on consciousness. However, this time, Kakashi immediately switched his attention to this new sensation. This pain was no illusion, and it was with great effort that the Copy-Ninja used it to pull his mind back to reality. His vision eventually cleared, and the debilitating agony of his imagined wound began to fade. But he couldn't indulge in even a moment's relief as he saw one of the Frost ninja's katana already arcing towards him.

Kakashi struggled to get his body to respond, but he knew that he was still suffering the after effects of the genjutsu. At this rate his mission would be over before it'd even truly begun. And the Copy-Ninja did not consider that an option. He gritted his teeth and forced his body to roll out of the way. But as an intense pain ripped through his chest, Kakashi knew that he'd been too late.


	10. Timing

Chapter 10

Timing

A shinobi must always put the mission first. Without hesitation, they must do what needs to be done in order to ensure their task's success. They must show no emotion even, when faced with the prospect of their own death and the deaths of those they care about. In fact, on a mission, caring and compassion must always yield to efficiency. These are the rules that govern the shinobi world. The infrangible Ninja Code. However, there is one ninja who has learnt through painful experience that sometimes it is better to break these rules. To him, mourning the loss of an old friend takes precedence over punctuality. And protecting the friends that he has left is more important than even the most vital assignment.

* * *

Just as suddenly as it had started, the pain in Kakashi's chest abruptly ceased. The Jonin watched as the kunoichi standing over him pulled her blade loose from where it had been embedded a few centimetres below his collarbone. A little higher and it would have severed his subclavian artery, killing him almost instantly. It was clear that these ninja knew what they were doing, and didn't want him dead just yet. However, although the location of the injury meant it wouldn't kill him straight away, its depth, as well as the amount of blood now flowing freely down his chest, gave the Copy-Ninja due cause for concern nonetheless.

But what had Kakashi most worried right now was the simple fact that the pain had stopped. That, and the fact that his normal instincts, which ought to have prompted him to rise and defend himself already, appeared not to have kicked in. It was this unexpected dulling of his senses that had given the Jonin a chance to analyse his injury in the first place – normally he would have saved such a task for later and dealt with his assailants first. Thus Kakashi was certain that the kunoichi's blade had been tainted with some kind of sedative, which was even now working its way through his bloodstream. This meant that in the opening created by Ikari's attack, the Frost ninja had taken the opportunity to wound him, immobilise him and make sure that he wouldn't die until they'd found out just why he'd infiltrated their country in the first place.

Kakashi clenched his fists, understandably frustrated over the new mess he'd been thrown into. But the effort it cost him to make even this simple motion only caused his annoyance to grow. Damn it! This was not how his journey was meant to have gone down. But the Copy-Ninja knew that he'd just have to work with the hand he'd been dealt. The four shinobi were already taking up defensive positions around him, clearly believing that even now the 'Infamous Copy-Ninja' of their pathetic mythology could somehow triumph over the staggering adversity of his current situation and escape – just as he had in all of their contrived little legends.

Well fortunately for Kakashi, those stories were not entirely based on exaggeration. If he could just overcome the sedative coursing through his system, he might be able to make it out of this alive. Although he wouldn't remain so for long if he didn't manage to stop the bleeding from his injury.

Naturally, the Jonin had a plan. But also as usual, that plan would require flawless execution if there was to be any chance of it not ending in his death. So, with what remaining strength he had, Kakashi forced himself to begin fighting against the sedative's effects. As he'd predicted, the ninja surrounding him noticed his efforts almost immediately. The squad member who was almost twice his size, promptly stepped over and pinned him down with one well placed foot. Effectively ensuring that what minimal control he'd managed to regain over his unresponsive body would still not be enough to aid him in getting to his feet – let alone escaping.

The gargantuan man then smirked. "I never thought I'd see the day when the Great Copy-Ninja lay helpless at my feet."

The brown-haired leader of the group frowned, his grey eyes showing something that Kakashi could almost have mistaken for genuine concern. "Do not be so foolish, Kobushi, as to think that this man doesn't know of at least one hundred different ways to dispatch you for your arrogance. Now step aside and let Hirate stop the bleeding. It seems that the sedative is keeping him incapacitated for the moment, especially considering how overenthusiastic Tsume was with her method of introducing it into his system. But it would certainly not benefit us for the Copy-Ninja to bleed to death only minutes after we've managed to apprehend him."

Kobushi glared at the leader but removed his foot, while the blonde Frost ninja, Hirate, crossed over to Kakashi's side. The man had an uncertain expression, which made him appear even younger than he likely was. He looked down at Kakashi then warily back at his leader, and the Copy-Ninja knew exactly what was passing through his mind.

"Captain Haaku, are you sure it would be wise to heal him? He may yet kill us all."

The Captain steadily met his subordinate's gaze, and Kakashi noticed a trace of fear creep into the young medic's blue eyes. Clearly this Haaku had earned himself quite a reputation among his peers.

The older man then spoke in a commanding but not overly harsh tone. "If he'd intended to kill us, Hirate, we would already be dead. The most important thing right now is to find out what he's doing in our land, and for that he needs to be conscious, which – if he loses any more blood – may no longer be the case."

The young man sighed, but did not argue the point further, which relieved Kakashi somewhat as he would certainly need to still be conscious in order for his plan to work. And, as had already been pointed out, he was unlikely to remain so for much longer, considering the dangerous rate at which he was losing blood. Haaku, and Hirate for that matter, had been speaking the truth when they'd said that if he wanted to he could still kill them. But at the moment, this would only lead to him sustaining further injury, and then likely having to use more chakra than he wanted to expend right now in order to heal himself. This was why his current plan would hopefully prove to be the best option.

Hirate knelt over him, sweeping his blonde hair out of his eyes as he inspected Kakashi's wound. The Copy-Ninja stared straight ahead, with a slightly unfocussed gaze that would make it seem as though – between the sedative and his blood loss – he no longer presented any threat; in fact as though he were barely even conscious. This seemed to adequately dispel at least the majority of the young man's fears, although his hands still shook slightly as he moved to press his palms against Kakashi's chest.

The Copy-Ninja tried not to flinch at the added pressure to his injury, because he could not afford to let on that – after partially countering the sedative in his system – feeling had begun to return to him. Although overcoming the chemical's effect completely would require chakra use, and so – with effort – Kakashi kept his body perfectly still while he waited for the right moment.

The Jonin forced himself to stay alert, even as he felt the soothing sensation of his injury repairing itself spread throughout his body. This medic was obviously rather skilled. Only elite medical ninja could so effortlessly blend their chakra with that of the one they were healing, thus causing the injured person's body to mend itself from the inside. And as he felt his own chakra being manipulated by the young man's healing hands, Kakashi knew that the time had come to counter the sedative's effects permanently.

Even though Tsume was most likely a sensory type, she would be unable to detect what he was doing. There wouldn't appear to be anything suspicious about his chakra use, as it would simply seem to be an unconscious effect of Hirate's healing. Thus by the time his injury had been mended, Kakashi had also managed to circulate enough chakra through his system that he'd effectively dissolved the remaining sedative. Now all he had to do was incapacitate these four ninja and get the hell out of there. Although seeing as firstly he didn't want to kill them, secondly he wanted to avoid excess chakra use and thirdly he knew that Ikari could launch another mental attack at any moment, this task would be easier said than done. Well… fortunately, the Copy-Ninja had a plan.

* * *

Jiraiya was crouched low to the ground, with one hand pressed against the grassy earth. They had just crossed into the Land of Hot Water and finally the retrieval squad had found something. Using senjutsu, Jiraiya could now detect the fact that Kakashi Hatake had used chakra in this place. But he was currently unsure of why.

"Yamato," he beckoned the ANBU to join him, "Kakashi cast two jutsu in this place, in close succession. Why would he have done that?"

The Operative knelt beside him, inspecting the earth for some hidden sign before he then turned and called for a second opinion – or in this case, Jiraiya supposed it would be a third opinion.

"Sakura," Yamato waved the kunoichi over, "I get the sense that you should be able to find some trace of Kakashi-Senpai's blood around here."

"Right," the girl nodded, and then turned her attention to the soil. "Here!" she exclaimed after a few moments, pointing to a perfectly innocuous patch of earth.

Jiraiya scratched his head. "Um… where?"

The young medic rolled her eyes in a perfectly Tsunade-esque manner, before proceeding to explain what she evidently found obvious.

"Well the texture of the soil here suggests that it has been stained by a small amount of human blood sometime in the last couple of days."

Then Yamato gave his own analysis. "Yes, it certainly does seem that way. And actually, by the way that the grass has been disturbed, as well as the impressions in the soil, I'd say that there's a handprint here too."

Jiraiya nodded. "So a summoning jutsu then," he was glad that he could provide at least some insight into the situation, before his supposed subordinates' skills showed him up completely.

"So it would appear," this came from Sai who had now joined them. "Perhaps Kakashi-Sensei used two of his Ninken to find out who was tracking him."

The Toad Sage frowned. "In which case, if he knows we're after him, the kid's certainly not going to make himself easy to follow."

The others nodded their silent agreement while Jiraiya pondered the team's discovery. So Kakashi knew that they were going after him. Well at least they knew that he knew, which meant that they could prepare for the extra precautions that Kakashi would likely be taking. Unless… what if the kid knew that they knew that he knew that–

"Hey, Pervy-Sage!"

Jiraiya couldn't help but be grateful for Naruto's sudden intrusion into his painfully convoluted train of thought. But he still responded in a suitably irritated tone. "What is it Naruto? Can't you see I'm trying to think?"

The blonde glared at him indignantly. "How would I see that? Anyway, I was just wondering… What happens if the guy Kakashi-Sensei's trying to find realises that we're trying to find Kakashi-Sensei?"

Jiraiya contemplated this for a moment. Coming from Naruto, it wasn't altogether a bad question. "Well," the Sannin began, "I don't think he'd be particularly happy about that. But unless he's got a small army on his side, there isn't really much that he can do about it. Although, saying that, there's every chance that he does have a small army. You have to understand, Naruto, that for all we know we could be walking into a trap. This unknown enemy could have realised that there's a team tracking Kakashi and may have already devised counter measures to either delay, misdirect, or simply eliminate us. He could know everything about us, while we have absolutely no idea of who he is, or more importantly, what he's capable of."

This was when Guy came bounding over to join the conversation. "It is my belief, Lord Jiraiya, that through experiencing such invigorating circumstances one can prolong their youth immeasurably!"

The Toad Sage smirked at the Jonin's indiscriminate enthusiasm. At least there'd be someone to keep their morale high on this rather grim assignment. If he didn't drive them all insane first, that is.

Guy's remark seemed to bolster Naruto's spirits too. "That's right Guy-Sensei!" the kid grinned. "We're gonna rescue Kakashi-Sensei and take that bastard down! I don't care how strong he is!"

Far from being caught up in Naruto's excitement, Sakura seemed annoyed by the comment. "Well we're not going to do anything just by standing here shouting about it. We don't know what kind of situation Kakashi-Sensei might be in…"

"Sakura's right," Yamato continued gravely, "this isn't anything to get excited about. Kakashi-Senpai could be in some real danger and that is not something to be taken lightly."

Jiraiya had a feeling that this reminder of their mission's severity had been directed as much at Guy as it had at Naruto. The Sannin knew that the ANBU and the Green Beast were polar opposites in just about every respect. He could only hope that their shared determination to protect Kakashi could unite them at least for this task. He looked around at all the members of the retrieval squad. It was clear that this determination was felt by each and every one of them. Well he'd be damned if they were going to let the kid down when he needed them most! And the Toad Sage was fairly sure that Sakumo would have approved of this sentiment.

Then after allowing himself one small, wistful smile, Jiraiya addressed the entire group. "Okay folks, let's move out! I somehow doubt Kakashi would appreciate the irony of us arriving too late."

* * *

Kakashi watched silently as Hirate hastily withdrew from him after finishing his healing. The young man went to stand beside Kobushi, with the blatant hope that the much larger shinobi could protect him from whatever it was he thought that Kakashi could do right now.

But as it was, the Copy-Ninja remained still. Eventually, the squad's Captain nodded towards Tsume – who took a step closer to Kakashi, her tainted katana still drawn – before the man addressed him personally.

"Are you able to speak?"

Kakashi contemplated this for a moment, he was pretty sure that the blade-wielding kunoichi beside him had been given an unspoken order to strike if she sensed any unusual disturbance in his chakra, and she probably wouldn't take too kindly to his getting up and walking out of there either. Oh well, he couldn't please everyone. But for now the Copy-Ninja decided that he may as well play along.

"Yes," he responded simply – making sure that it sounded as though the word had cost him at least a little effort.

"Good," Haaku replied with equal brevity. "Now," he continued, and Kakashi saw the Captain's eyes narrow ever so slightly, "what is your purpose in the Land of Frost?"

The Jonin would have shrugged, were he not pretending to be immobile. But to compensate he made sure that indifference found its way into every syllable of his response. "I've heard that this is a good country for a vacation – although I must say it hasn't quite lived up to expectations so far."

Haaku's penetrating brown eyes narrowed further and Kakashi felt the man's powerful chakra flare up in irritation. It was at this moment that the Copy-Ninja briefly locked eyes with his would-be opponent, and the cloaking effect of the Captain's momentary chakra spike managed to conceal the light genjutsu, which Kakashi had finally found himself able to perform. At last he was gaining some control over this highly inconvenient situation.

"Tsume!" the Captain suddenly chided his subordinate. "You mustn't drop your guard like that again. I'm not sure how, but this man just attempted to place me under a genjutsu while your attention was diverted. Naturally it should be up to you to detect such things."

The woman's eyes widened before a look of contempt settled onto her face. "Hirate was right, we never should have healed him. To be able to perform a jutsu after losing so much blood, and being affected by such a strong sedative – no wonder he's the stuff of legends! We'd be doing four out of the Five Great Countries a favour by killing him right now."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed and Haaku took a step forward, his hand now slightly closer to the hilt of his own katana.

"That may be true. But for now the information he offers could prove even more beneficial to our country than his death. After all, the Copy-Ninja may be feared in this land, and rightly so, but he is no more our enemy than the other four countries are our allies. In fact, these days a peace treaty exists between Fire and Frost. And needless to say they would not be pleased if one of the greatest assets to their military strength was dispatched simply for the sake of appeasing their rival nations. And do not think that any of those surrounding countries would come to our aid if Konoha decided it would be beneficial to crush us in response. No Tsume, we will not kill him unless we have no other option. And even then, I doubt that any of us will survive a battle against a shinobi whom it truly does seem never drops his guard."

The kunoichi rolled her eyes. "No offence Captain, but that's a load of crap. It was only because he dropped his guard that I managed to wound him in the first place."

The young medic, Hirate, then spoke up. His voice was somewhat dubious. "It's true that we were given a window of opportunity, however it didn't look like the Copy-Ninja was dropping his guard as such. There seemed to be a little more to it than that."

Captain Haaku was quick to respond. "Yes, which is precisely why we need to find out all we can about what's going on here. We will sedate him further and then seal his chakra. Only after we are sure that he is truly incapacitated will we once again proceed with the interrogation."

The others nodded before the Captain continued. "Hirate, I want you to prime four senbon with your most potent sedative. One that if used on the average shinobi, would render them unconscious for at least twenty-four hours."

The young shinobi snapped to attention, even though his tone still conveyed his doubts. "Four… Captain?"

The older man nodded. "In light of the fact that the Copy-Ninja has nearly overcome the first sedative's effects," he began calmly, "and that he doesn't seem particularly willing to cooperate, we will have to ensure that we have sufficient resources to keep him sedated for as long as necessary."

The blonde nodded mutely before producing the requested items from his medical pouch and proceeding to coat the thin needles with a reflective, colourless liquid. All the while, Kakashi watched with one eyebrow ever so slightly raised. Haaku's abilities had certainly exceeded expectations. He hadn't actually thought the man capable of pulling such a thing off.

The shinobi in question then held out one hand. "Okay, now I'll take those."

Hirate looked dubious but didn't argue the point, surrendering the senbon after only a moment's hesitation.

But Haaku didn't hesitate for even a second as he seized the proffered needles and flew gracefully into action. If Kakashi hadn't then opened his Sharingan eye once more, even he might not have been able to track the elite shinobi's movements. But it was impossible to miss the sight of the patrol squad's bodies hitting the ground, as each laced senbon met their mark. Haaku then crossed over to Kakashi, the final senbon still clutched in his hand.

The Copy-Ninja now rose carefully to his feet, before taking the needle gently out of Haaku's grasp. The man made no move to resist, even as Kakashi stepped closer to him, holding the tip of the senbon less than an inch away from his neck.

At this point, the Jonin knew that it was now time to release the genjutsu, which had instructed the Captain to somehow incapacitate his comrades without killing them, and without making too much of a scene. Needless to say, Kakashi'd been impressed by what the man had come up with.

The Copy-Ninja made sure to remove every last trace of his chakra from Haaku's system. He then watched as the shinobi's gaze sharpened once more to its former acuity.

"Don't move," Kakashi commanded as he felt the man reaching for a kunai already.

"What have you done to my comrades?" demanded the Captain, his tone now full of malice.

"I have not killed them," the Jonin answered steadily, "just as I do not intend to kill you. However, I do have a mission to complete in this land. One that either by my death, or by the death of one of your country's most formidable villains, will prove to work in your favour. It will likely be over by the time you are able to report it. But when you do tell your superiors about this encounter, perhaps it would be worth mentioning that you have seen with your own eyes the Copy-Ninja bleed as any other man does. No nation should be so foolish as to spread rumours about supposedly invincible foes. Frost has made many mistakes in the past, and my own past in this country has been far from bright, but these days we are allies. So you can tell your leaders that when all this is over, Kakashi Hatake wishes to strengthen that allegiance, and perhaps in time your country will rise to heights previously unreachable due to disloyalty among your own people and the destructive cycle of hatred and revenge that this disloyalty has led to. However, you personally clearly value the lives of your comrades. You are not imprudent, nor are you altogether unskilled. In fact Captain Haaku, I admit, you have helped to restore my faith in the ninja of this land. And who knows, perhaps we'll meet again someday."

With his speech over, the Copy-Ninja sighed and completed his plan for safely incapacitating the four-man cell. Kakashi sunk the needle deep into the Captain's neck, and as the man's body went limp, the Jonin supported it and laid him gently onto the ground. He now had just under a day to reach the stronghold. And seeing as he'd already found a way – albeit slightly crude – of freeing himself from Ikari's genjutsu traps, Kakashi felt that perhaps the last stage of his journey might pass somewhat more smoothly than it had so far. Although, now that his blood had been spilt in this land, the Jonin knew that the retrieval squad would easily pick up his scent. Thus from here on out, speed would take priority over discretion.

He still didn't know the full story, but based on what he'd discovered, the Copy-Ninja was fairly certain that it had been Ikari Iyoku who'd used his father's own team-mates against him. And the Jonin would make sure that bastard never made that mistake again, especially when it was his own comrades' lives in danger. After all, Kakashi still had to show that piece of scum exactly why messing with the lives of both his father and Rin would prove to be the worst decision Ikari Iyoku had ever made.


	11. Trap

Chapter 11

Trap

He was one of the Three Great Ninja of shinobi legend; he had no right to be afraid. He had the utmost confidence in his team and unwavering faith in the man whom he was tracking. However, the fact that this man so regularly showed complete disregard for his own life, was enough to put his pursuers on edge. But it was too late to falter now. He knew that their unknown enemy would prove to be a formidable foe. After all, the object of their search had been brought to the brink of death at his hands once before. And he also knew that if he couldn't even protect his best friend's son, his legendary name would mean nothing.

* * *

After allowing himself a couple of hours' sleep, the Copy-Ninja was on the move once more. Finally he was nearing his destination. What worried him, however, was that since the events of the previous night, he had not fallen victim to Ikari Iyoku's mind games again. Kakashi knew that he should be relieved by this fact, but he couldn't shake the feeling that the reason for this respite was that the clan leader's chakra was now being channelled into something else. And probably something just as deadly.

But that did nothing to slow the Copy-Ninja's pace, nor did it weaken his resolve to get this task over with. Although, one thing that concerned the Jonin was the broad daylight currently surrounding him. Kakashi knew that he could avoid being seen easily enough, but he somehow felt that Ikari Iyoku hadn't evaded detection for the last eleven years by showing himself during the day. So the man would most likely have taken some measures to protect his anonymity, thus making him even harder to find than he would have been otherwise.

Kakashi filled his mind with all of the possible scenarios for his upcoming encounter, but he knew that nothing could truly prepare him for what was to come. If there was one thing he'd learnt about the Iyoku Clan, it was that they always seemed to have an ace up their sleeve. But all ninja were trained to deal with the unknown. In fact, Kakashi's sole reason for being in this country was to deal with that bastard once and for all.

Thus by the time he caught the first glimpse of his destination, the Jonin felt confident that he'd be able to rise to whatever challenges fate was about to present him with. And straight away it was obvious that this stronghold had once been a magnificent clan compound. It was reminiscent of the old Hatake estate, both in its grandeur and its current state of ruin. Although in this case, that ruin was not due to decades of neglect, but was instead clearly the product of an all-consuming conflagration.

Many of the blackened walls lay as rubble at the base of the building. Its charred wooden skeleton had been laid bare like the bones of some emaciated animal. The roof had collapsed entirely and shattered fragments of red clay tiles lay scattered about the surrounding area. The years had done nothing to dull their vibrant colour and they stood out like spots of blood against the barren, frosty earth leading up to an overgrown courtyard.

Kakashi hoped that the creeping vines and gnarled tree trunks might provide him with at least some cover as he made his way to the entrance of the building. Although, the Copy-Ninja knew that any attempt to conceal his presence would ultimately prove futile. After all, his enemy had been able to detect him from the moment he'd first set foot in the Land of Frost. But what concerned Kakashi more was that he currently couldn't sense any life signs emanating from within the abandoned compound.

He made his way cautiously past the ring of desolate land and into the dense jungle that was the inner courtyard. Now that he was here, the Copy-Ninja was able to detect a vaguely recognisable scent. He used his chakra to focus his awareness and made his way carefully to where the familiar presence was strongest. The Jonin now found himself in a small area of flat, grassy land. It was easy to tell from the impressions in the centre of the clearing that someone had lain there recently. Then Kakashi remembered just where he'd come across that scent before. It was during his fight with Tei Iyoku.

At least this confirmed that his Kamui had transported the young man's body to the right place. And the fact that his body had now disappeared confirmed that the compound was indeed inhabited… by someone. But, that said, Kakashi was still unable to detect the presence of another. Even if Ikari Iyoku had been here and had now left, the Copy-Ninja should have been able to sense some residual sign of it. Briefly Kakashi wondered whether the clan leader's formidable sensory abilities also worked in reverse, to prevent others from detecting him. It was a bit of a stretch to imagine, but after the events of his journey to the stronghold the Jonin was much more prepared to accept the impossible when it came to the Iyoku's inherent skills.

Thus Kakashi was making sure to keep his guard high as he made his way towards the compound's entrance. He stood at the threshold, which led directly to the spacious hallway beyond. Twisted shadows wound their way through ruined walls as the daylight was distorted by the cracked and blackened stone. The Jonin could not escape the oppressive feeling of being watched. But by whom, or from where, he was not yet sure. All that Kakashi was certain of right now was that this building held no signs of life. And that in itself made no sense. Especially as in spite of this, the Copy-Ninja could now hear the faint sound of distant footsteps echoing through the hall.

Uncovering his Sharingan, Kakashi made his way further into the building. Then his eyes widened and his body ducked automatically as a kunai shot out of the darkness, sailing over his head, before embedding itself in the stone arch above the building's entrance. The Jonin then cursed as the exploding tag wrapped around the hilt of the weapon went off, causing the remainder of the compound's crumbling walls to begin crashing down around him. And he was soon forced to re-evaluate the seemingly arbitrary nature of the fissures in the stone, as the targeted explosion caused the structure to cave in with a perfectly calculated and clear purpose.

The higher stones piled neatly atop the lower stones, which were now supported by the wooden beams that had previously seemed to be strewn randomly about the building's dilapidated and scorched interior. Kakashi quickly realised the intention of this controlled destruction. He was now trapped within a flawlessly constructed dome of fallen rock. And judging by the echoes still reverberating from the rain of debris, he estimated that it was about thirteen paces from one side to the other, and that the ceiling was approximately three metres from the floor. That gave him some space to work with at least.

Kakashi knew that it was well within his capabilities to escape from this trap using a doton technique. However, first he had to ascertain why the distinct sound of footsteps, which he'd heard before the cave-in, still had not ceased. No light was able to penetrate the thick layers of stone surrounding him, leaving the Jonin none the wiser as to what was generating this sound. And he still could not sense the presence of another trapped in this dome with him.

But it was getting harder to ignore the fact that the scent of Tei Iyoku, which Kakashi had thought simply remained from when he'd encountered it in the courtyard, was still lingering in the air. It was coming from the same direction as the quiet footfalls. So once again Kakashi had no choice but to accept the impossible.

And he was glad that he had, as a moment later he heard the unmistakable sound of a katana slicing through the air, and he barely managed to dodge it in time. Even with his Sharingan uncovered, the Copy-Ninja could still not detect any foreign chakra. And the suffocating darkness was rendering his eyesight useless. The Jonin knew that he would have to rely on his other senses in order to survive this. Thus Kakashi drew his own katana and listened hard for where the next strike might come from.

He spun around to the left, raising his weapon to parry the blade that he'd sensed in that direction. But at the same moment, the Copy-Ninja felt a disturbance in the air about a hair's width from his chest. He leapt backwards knowing that he'd just avoided a fatal strike from his opponent's kunai, which had come at the exact same moment as the katana that he'd also narrowly blocked. Then, the Jonin seemed to feel three blades heading towards him at once. Were these clones? …It didn't matter. The Copy-Ninja simply focussed on avoiding the first two blades and blocking the third. But as he stepped backwards to do so, Kakashi found himself up against the wall of the rock dome.

The moment his back hit the stone, a hand shot out and wrapped itself around his neck, constricting with an iron force that simply wasn't human. Kakashi struggled to take in a full breath as his throat was slowly crushed. The Copy-Ninja choked out a low growl, glaring into the darkness at his invisible opponent. The fingers around his neck were locked in a death grip, and as Kakashi felt his lungs burn from lack of oxygen he knew that it was time to end this farce of a battle – while he still could.

From one moment to the next, he'd forced chakra into his right hand and thrust it through the chest of the enemy currently choking him. Kakashi heard the distinct sound of clones disbursing as he plunged his Lightening Blade into the original's body, crushing the enemy's ribs and ultimately his heart. However, what disturbed The Copy-Ninja was that at no point had he actually felt this heart beating. Then, the Jonin's eyes went wide as the turquoise light cast by his Raikiri finally illuminated his foe. Just as he'd suspected, it was Tei Iyoku.

The boy's head hung limply at an angle that showed his neck was still broken. And although his eyes were open, no life resided in those piercing emerald orbs. Suddenly Kakashi noticed a strange symbol carved into the back of the young shinobi's twisted neck. It was the kanji for 'meaning', placed beside the kanji for 'desire'. Together it read as 'ambition': Iyoku. This must have been the marking jutsu that Tei himself had mentioned in their first encounter. The young man hadn't been marked when he'd come of age, but it seemed that he had been branded in death and was somehow being controlled by his one-time leader, with no discernable chakra link to signify this blatant manipulation. And even though Tei Iyoku had clearly used jutsu, he had no detectable chakra of his own either.

This technique went beyond anything that Kakashi had ever seen before, even beyond the Impure World Resurrection Jutsu. Although, that said, he didn't currently know the drawbacks and limitations of this technique as well as he knew the specifications of the Second Hokage's Forbidden Jutsu. But what Kakashi did know was that the hand still wrapped relentlessly around his throat would cause him to suffocate if he didn't do something soon. Clearly Tei's cadaver was being used as a puppet, and thus this inhuman grip – which displayed a strength far beyond that which the young man had possessed in life – would remain, however much Kakashi damaged the corpse maintaining it. And so the Copy-Ninja tightened his fingers around the katana still clutched limply in his left hand, even as he pulled his right hand loose from the boy's chest. He could already feel his muscles beginning to spasm as lack of oxygen started to take its toll.

Kakashi gritted his teeth and raised his katana, before forcing all of his waning strength into it, and bringing it to bear on the arm of the boy whose hand was still determinedly crushing his windpipe. In one clean sweep of his blade, Kakashi severed the unnaturally powerful limb and watched as the body – already incapacitated by the destructive force of his Raikiri – fell to the ground. The chokehold around his neck still refused to release, but now that it no longer had a body supporting it, the Copy-Ninja was able to raise his arms and prise the fingers loose from his damaged throat. When he was finally free, Kakashi collapsed onto the ground, desperately trying to refill his empty lungs.

He choked as he failed to draw in a full breath. And Kakashi closed his eyes as the stabbing pain across his chest began to exceed that from his injured throat. He struggled to still his erratically beating heart and control his body's natural instinct to gasp for air. Instead he began to breathe with slow deliberation, filtering oxygen into his body one minute amount at a time, as much as he could manage in order to stave off passing out. Eventually his breathing started to regulate, even though every agonising breath felt like shards of glass scraping over the inside of his throat. He was no longer in danger of suffocation, but still, the muscles in his body seemed to have effectively shut down, and Kakashi knew it would be a good few minutes before he could so much as move, let alone get the hell out of there.

The Jonin was pleased that he'd managed to incapacitate his current enemy, which would give him a little longer to rest. But Kakashi still had no idea as to the whereabouts of Ikari Iyoku, whereas that bastard seemed to know exactly where he was, as well as how to wound him from afar. The Copy-Ninja wasn't sure whether the man had intended his puppet to kill him, or simply injure him. But either way, Ikari's decision not to face him directly was the act of a coward. Although, the Jonin couldn't deny that the man's scheme had worked, seeing as he could barely even breathe right now. And the Copy-Ninja knew that he wouldn't stand much of a chance against the real Ikari Iyoku without having had time to recover first.

Kakashi sighed, and then cringed as another spasm of pain ran through his throat. This wasn't good, and it certainly wasn't a simple injury to heal. Medical ninjutsu of any kind required incredible concentration and perfect chakra control. But one wrong move when using medical ninjutsu on a neck injury meant one could easily cut off one's airway completely, or sever one of the crucial arteries supplying blood to the brain. And seeing as at the moment Kakashi couldn't even lift his arms, let alone control his chakra, he knew that he'd just have to deal with the enemy in his current state – and try not to get himself killed in the process.

Fortunately with each breath he took, the Copy-Ninja found that his constricted throat was incrementally opening. But enough irreversible damage had been done to his airway that it would still make the rest of this mission a lot more difficult than it would've been otherwise. Not that he'd ever expected it to be easy. After all, it had already been quite firmly proven that he was not up against a typical opponent.

For a few minutes Kakashi lay in the impenetrable darkness, contemplating this new complication. And while he was waiting to regain full mobility, the Copy-Ninja heard a thoroughly unexpected and – to be honest – rather unwelcome sound. There was a faint noise coming from the communication device that he'd kept in his pouch. The Jonin knew that he'd only given his current frequency to one man. And on top of that, he knew that there was only one reason for this man to try and contact him. Asuma was in trouble.

With a hand that was still uncontrollably shaking, Kakashi reached towards his pouch, he then felt around until he found the item he was searching for. Sure enough, as he held the speaker to his ear, he could clearly hear Asuma's increasingly irritated voice.

"I swear Hatake… if you've given me the wrong frequency!"

Kakashi rolled his eyes and brought the mic to his lips. He then realised that the shape he was in, he probably wouldn't be able to communicate even if he wanted to. And, seeing as Asuma might be about to face the Akatsuki, he certainly did want to. The Jonin tried to force words through his damaged throat, but this only resulted in the pain that he was currently experiencing to increase exponentially. But the Copy-Ninja did not give up, and eventually he managed to form three barely audible words.

"What's… up… Asuma…"

When he responded, the Jonin sounded thoroughly pissed off. "Look, I still can't hear you 'Kashi, but if you can read me, then I'm just letting you know that our ETA at the collection office is in about thirty-six hours. It's less than a kilometre away from Fire's border with Hot Water. I don't know where you are right now, but if you're in the area, then we could probably use some backup. We spent a couple of days gathering intel on this pair, and suffice it to say they're not your average enemy. Anyway, if you're receiving this then you know where we'll be. I'll call in again if things get desperate. But for now I hope you're not in over your head on whatever mission it was you were assigned. And you'd better not get yourself killed when we might need you to save our butts. Okay, I'm out. Good luck with whatever the hell it is you're doing."

And with that, the device switched off, leaving Kakashi frowning into the darkness. This new twist was sure to complicate things, but he'd known that this might happen from the beginning. However, it meant that the Copy-Ninja would need to abandon his current position and then go all the way back into Hot Water. And seeing as both Ikari Iyoku and the retrieval squad were located somewhere between here and there, it was not a journey he was particularly looking forward to – never mind the fact that he still couldn't breathe properly. But if he wanted to have any chance of getting through his upcoming task, Kakashi knew he'd have to take it one stage at a time. And the first stage was getting out of this ridiculous stone prison.

Well now that he no longer had a reanimated, super-powered corpse to deal with, the Copy-Ninja knew this wouldn't prove too much of a challenge. One swift earth jutsu ought to do the trick. And Kakashi finally felt that he was at the point where he could rise, without the lack of oxygen in his system causing him to pass out.

Thus, using the supportive stone wall behind him, the Jonin got shakily to his feet, closing his eyes against the pain as the motion forced him to breathe in a little more deeply than he currently felt was wise. Then, making sure that he was at least recovered enough to channel his chakra into a basic technique, Kakashi began forming the needed signs for a jutsu that would hopefully get him out of there. Sure enough, a few moments later, the Copy-Ninja found himself standing in the overgrown courtyard of the Iyoku compound once more. But the ease with which he had managed to escape from Ikari's trap was enough to assure Kakashi that his ordeal was far from over.

He wasn't sure where the bastard was, but he knew that somewhere, Ikari Iyoku would be lying in wait for him. However, right now Kakashi had a separate task to deal with. He had thirty-six hours to get to Asuma before another of his precious comrades' lives was put into grave danger. Because the simple fact that his stubborn friend had actually asked for help meant that he was in way over his head – or at least would be if Kakashi didn't get there soon. Although, as Asuma himself had seemingly realised, the Copy-Ninja wasn't currently in a brilliant situation either.

The Jonin gave a pained sigh before turning to leave the stronghold that he'd fought so hard to reach. The sun shone contentedly down upon him, seeming to mock the severity of his current task. But it would take much more than that to lull the Copy-Ninja into a false sense of security. After all, his was far from the only life at risk right now. Kakashi's fists clenched and he wondered, not for the first time, how the hell he'd ever allowed the stakes to get this high.

* * *

Yamato was confused. And that was putting it mildly. They were halfway through the Land of Hot Water, and there was no way that they should have been able to pick up a trace of Kakashi's presence just yet. But Lord Jiraiya had assured the squad that Kakashi-Senpai had used a jutsu somewhere in this land. However, what the ANBU was more concerned about was the fact that one of Sai's ink-based creatures had managed to pick up the scent of the Copy-Ninja's blood, coming from the heart of the Land of Frost. And even though the animal had been created solely for tracking purposes, the fact that it had locked onto a blood trace so easily likely meant that somewhere along the line, Kakashi had been badly wounded. The group was determined not to rest until they'd gotten to the bottom of this.

Although, Yamato had soon realised that this sentiment was somewhat impractical. After all, they wouldn't be much help to his Senpai if they hadn't slept in three days. But depending on what kind of situation Kakashi was in, perhaps any help would be better than none. At the moment, however, all they could do was speculate and try to catch up with Kakashi-Senpai as quickly as was physically possible. Yamato was promptly shaken from these fretful musings by a simple command.

"We run until sundown."

This came from Jiraiya, who was leading the group from the front. Yamato had been placed at the back, primarily to ensure that Guy stayed with him and didn't try to forge ahead on his own. Needless to say, being the custodian of the headache-inducing Green Beast was not one of Yamato's favourite ever assignments. But he knew it was important to make sure that the group stuck together, and the ANBU was willing to do whatever was required of him in order to facilitate the mission's success. But as he sensed Guy attempting to speed up yet again, Yamato found himself hard pressed not to lose what little was left of his sanity after three days of travelling with that eternally youthful idiot.

"Guy…" the Operative began, trying his hardest to keep his tone level, "please tell me you remember what Lord Jiraiya told you."

The Jonin looked back over his shoulder at him, still not slowing his pace. "I believe he said that it is vital we rescue my Eternal Rival in time, before we are forced to conclude that he has been severely injured, or worse. Am I mistaken?"

The ANBU rolled his eyes. "Well firstly, I doubt Jiraiya would have referred to Kakashi-Senpai as anyone's 'Eternal Rival', least of all yours. And secondly, I meant his most recent instructions."

Guy beamed back at him, still incrementally increasing his pace. "Ah… I apologise. Lord Jiraiya's most recent command was the wise order to keep running until night has fallen. Perhaps your hearing is not quite as youthful as it should be."

Not for the first time, Yamato wondered whether anyone would truly mind if he throttled the Green Beast of Konoha then and there. Well fortunately, the one person who seemed to value the man's friendship enough to put up with his infuriating stupidity was Kakashi-Senpai. And so for Kakashi's sake, the Operative resisted the temptation to act upon his increasingly murderous urges. He sighed. The intrinsic duty of an ANBU was to remain calm throughout any adverse situation. Yamato had looked death in the face without so much as blinking, but there was something about the Green Beast that seemed to make him as volatile as Naruto on a no-ramen diet.

And speaking of which, having the blonde maverick along on this mission was yet another disaster waiting to happen. Although, Yamato had tried to avoid broaching that particular topic with Lord Jiraiya as technically it was his own fault that the Genin had ended up there in the first place. It was just that with every passing moment, the Operative was becoming more convinced that once they'd crossed into Frost, discretion would be their only hope of getting to Kakashi without making the situation worse. The margin of error allowed for this task was virtually nonexistent. Drawing any undue attention to themselves would mean instant failure. And this was a simple concept that the ANBU somehow felt both Naruto and the Green Beast of Konoha might struggle with.

This time, Yamato didn't even bother to keep the sternness out of his voice as he addressed the elder shinobi. "Guy, the instruction I was referring to was in fact the one that ordered you to remain at the back of the group, unless explicitly told otherwise."

"Well…" the Jonin responded in what could almost have passed for a thoughtful tone, "if the group were travelling faster I would have no need to go ahead."

"Not everyone has your stamina Guy," Yamato explained, realising that the man likely hadn't even considered this. "And we're all in this together. That means we will travel at a pace that is suitable for everyone. And that pace will be determined by Lord Jiraiya. Perhaps you could reach Kakashi-Senpai quicker if you were travelling at your normal speed, but without a tracker to pinpoint his location, you wouldn't even know where to look. And if he's been injured you'll hardly be able to heal him. And if there truly is someone out there capable of wounding Kakashi-Senpai, then it's going to take more than just one man to defeat him – however youthful that man may consider himself."

The perennially cheerful Jonin grinned. "What a perceptive observation! The ANBU ranks are fortunate to have such an astute shinobi as yourself among them. I will now do my best to heed the instructions of Lord Jiraiya, which you have so kindly reminded me of."

The ANBU smiled dryly. "Thanks Guy, that would be… helpful."

Fortunately the Green Beast stayed true to his word and slowed down until he was level with Yamato once more. And now that this problem had been resolved, the Operative set his mind to their next challenge. Namely tracing the disturbingly strong scent of Kakashi's blood and rescuing him from whomever it was that had spilt it. Although there was still one concern that had been playing on Yamato's mind ever since Naruto had first brought it up. What if the enemy was indeed aware that a team had been sent to rescue the Copy-Ninja? How could they be so sure that, even now, they weren't heading towards a trap? And Yamato knew in his heart that they couldn't.

* * *

Ikari Iyoku smiled as he watched the Copy-Ninja emerge injured from the ruins of his former home. He would've liked to have said that the trap had been specifically designed to weaken the man and test his capabilities. But in all honesty, he had to admit that it'd simply been for fun. Kakashi Hatake had sent Tei Iyoku's body back to taunt him, and Ikari wasn't going to waste the opportunity to throw that taunt back in the Copy-Ninja's face. After being unable to brand Tei with the clan marking all those years ago, the former leader had been glad at the opportunity to finally do so.

In a perverse way, it was fortunate that no other clan members had been alive to witness it. After all, had he still been being forced to share his chakra among them all, he wouldn't have had enough energy to maintain the level of control he'd needed over Tei's body. He wondered what the Copy-Ninja had made of the technique. No doubt he'd noticed the similarities it shared with the Second Hokage's resurrection jutsu. But it was likely that the offspring of the genius White Fang had also analysed the two techniques' subtle differences. Unless he'd been too busy being strangled to care.

Ikari only regretted that it hadn't been his own fingers wrapped around the Copy-Ninja's throat. But that time would come. And the level of connection that the jutsu had given him to the battle had still proven rather enjoyable. It had been his own strength inhabiting the youth's reanimated corpse, his chakra flowing through the boy's body. This was why there had been no detectible chakra signature. Because – as the Hatake had probably deduced from the fact that not even a trace of his presence remained at the compound – Ikari Iyoku's Kekkei Genkai not only revealed to him the location of others, but it enable him to conceal his own location until it became dubious as to whether he indeed existed at all.

Well, this was the case for his chakra anyway. But in order to hide his scent, Ikari still had to use more old fashioned methods. Which was why the Iyoku was glad that he'd erased all memories of his scent from the Copy-Ninja's mind when he'd infiltrated it during their first encounter. And it wasn't as though the man had acquired any blood by which to track him since then. Thus Ikari knew that, for the moment, he had the upper hand.

And what was even more amusing was the team of six who even now were closing the gap between themselves and the Jonin whom they'd no doubt been sent to retrieve. Or perhaps they had come to aid the Copy-Ninja in destroying him. Either way, Ikari would make sure that these shinobi never reached their goal. Naturally he would keep them entertained. After all, they were about to become guests in his land – and very important guests at that. But the Iyoku's quarrel with the Copy-Ninja was a personal matter. This time, he wouldn't need to use the man's comrades as bait in order to lead him into a trap. No, it was clear that the Jonin already knew that he could be ambushed at any moment. And Ikari appreciated just how little Kakashi seemed to care about this fact.

However, it appeared that the Copy-Ninja was now attempting to cross back through the Land of Frost and perhaps was even thinking about leaving the country. Despite the fact that he could trace the man's every step, Ikari could still not be sure of just what was prompting this strange behaviour. Perhaps it was in response to something that had occurred after he'd severed his connection to Tei Iyoku's body – upon realising that the puppet would no longer prove useful. Ikari smiled. Kakashi's Raikiri technique was far stronger than it had been when he'd first witnessed it. He'd almost felt it himself when the Copy-Ninja's electrically charged fist had been plunged into Tei's chest.

But if he ever hoped to witness that exquisite technique firsthand again, then Ikari would just have to apprehend that unpredictable Jonin before he managed to reach whatever destination it was he currently had in mind. After all, there was no way that bastard could be allowed to escape before the Iyoku had even had the chance to show him just how he felt about the massacre of his clan members, and the murder of his beloved son. If the Copy-Ninja was seeking revenge, then revenge was exactly what Ikari would give him. Sure, it was true that ostensibly the former clan leader was simply a villain intent on destroying one whom many regarded as a hero. But in reality he knew that this portrayal was unjust. When all was said and done, Ikari Iyoku was only one thing. And that was a bereaved father who above all wanted justice for the death of his son.


	12. Detainment

Chapter 12

Detainment

Near to the Land of Frost's western border, a powerful shinobi was waiting patiently. His enemy was drawing ever closer, although it no longer mattered why. The destination of that despicable man was unimportant; he would never reach it. And as for those trying to come to his aid, well, naturally their efforts would also prove futile. Yes, he had every reason to be patient. After all, the villain who'd wiped out his entire clan would be dead by the day's end.

* * *

Jiraiya genuinely couldn't believe that they'd managed to make it to the Land of Frost undetected, especially considering that Konoha's number one hyperactive, maverick knucklehead had come along for the ride. Although, the Sannin had always secretly believed that Naruto really could act like a ninja when he wanted to. It wasn't that he'd doubted the kid. No, it'd just been nice to have a little reassurance in the matter. And making it safely into Frost had served to ease his mind immeasurably.

But now that they were here, their next task would be to locate the blood signature that they'd been able to sense from as far away as the Land of Hot Water. It was probably too much to hope for that Sai's tracking creature had been mistaken and this blood was not in fact Kakashi's. But Jiraiya couldn't help but hold onto the hope that the kid hadn't been wounded as badly as the scent of his blood made it appear.

It was nearing night-time, which was fortunate as it meant that the day patrols would soon be relieved by the night patrols, and in that brief changeover period there would be a slightly decreased chance of detection. Thus the Toad Sage decided to increase his pace, knowing that the group behind him would follow. And, after approximately half an hour they reached the site from which the scent of the kid's blood had clearly originated.

Even in the enveloping darkness, it was impossible to miss the prone forms of four Frost ninja lying motionless on the freezing earth, in the middle of an otherwise deserted clearing. The Sannin nodded to Sakura and immediately the young medic went and knelt beside each body in turn, analysing their physical condition, before giving her report.

"Well they're all breathing… just about," she said in a businesslike tone. "The senbon they've all been injected with are probably coated with either a poison that's slowly killing them, or a highly potent sedative. Although judging by their pallor and their heart-rates, I'd say it's almost definitely the latter."

"Wow Sakura-chan!" Naruto grinned. "You're amazing!"

Sai looked down at the four incapacitated shinobi. "Actually," he said in the unemotional tone that Jiraiya had come to associate with all Root members over the years, "it's fairly blatant that whoever defeated these ninja did not intend to kill them. So the immobilising nature of the senbon is obvious. It's more important to find out what Kakashi-Sensei's involvement in this was."

Jiraiya only just managed to keep from laughing aloud as Sakura gave Sai a look that resembled Tsunade anytime he'd unwisely made an Icha Icha reference in front of her.

"Hey!" Naruto yelled, causing the Toad Sage to quickly rethink his generous assessment of the kid's newfound discretion. "Don't talk that way to Sakura-chan!"

Jiraiya promptly decided it was about time to diffuse the situation, before the members of Team Seven ended up killing each other outright. But thankfully Yamato stepped in, showing just why the Hokage had assigned him to watch over the team back when Kakashi had been in Hospital.

The ANBU's tone brooked no defiance. "Naruto, keep your voice down. Sai, don't be disrespectful to your team-mates. And Sakura, that was a good analysis, but there is still more that we need to learn."

"Yes Captain Yamato," the three said in unison, their tones ranging from sullen to angry to perfectly indifferent.

Then Guy spoke up. "Surely we should proceed with the task of determining the origin of my Eternal Rival's blood right away." There was a slight chance that the Green Beast had been trying to hide his impatience, but if this was the case, then he'd definitely failed.

Jiraiya sighed. "Right then," he said with all of the authority that he could muster, "let's get to work!"

With this, the Sannin attuned all of his senses to his surroundings and in a matter of moments he'd found what he was looking for. Just to the left of the four bodies, he could now detect the scent of Kakashi's blood, so strong that it must have been spilt in that exact place. He also felt the barest trace of the kid's chakra hovering in the air. It was incredibly faint, and could only have been from an almost intangible genjutsu. Perhaps that had proven to be the deciding factor in turning the battle to Kakashi's favour. And seeing as Jiraiya could also sense an unfamiliar chakra in same area as the kid's blood, and that he could clearly tell what this chakra had been used for, the Sage had no choice but to conclude that somewhere along the line, Kakashi had managed to get his injury healed.

"Alright," Jiraiya began after a moment of formulating his analysis, "here's how it looks to me. Kakashi encountered these folks on his way to… wherever it was he was heading. There was a battle of sorts, the kid was wounded but in the end managed to incapacitate the enemy and get them to heal him – probably using genjutsu – before escaping."

"So where is he now then?" Yamato asked in a worried tone, although Jiraiya could hear the Operative's relief at the thought that his former Captain was no longer severely wounded.

"We can still try to follow his chakra signature right?" Sakura sounded even more concerned than Yamato.

But of course Sai's voice betrayed absolutely no emotion. "Lord Jiraiya, can you not track Kakashi-Sensei from here using your senjutsu?"

Meanwhile Guy seemed about ready to sprint off after his 'rival' even though he clearly had no idea of where he was meant to be heading. "Surely we should leave straight away in order to increase our chances of rescuing my Eternal Rival before it's too late."

And then, determined not to be left out, Naruto joined the collective tirade. "Pervy-Sage… I'm hungry!"

At the sound of the Genin's whining voice, Jiraiya snapped.

"SHUT… UP… ALL OF YOU!"

Instantly, the group fell silent. Until…

"Gods Pervy-Sage! You're the one who needs to keep their voice down!"

Jiraiya glared at the boy, who met his gaze with an indignant pout.

The Sannin sighed. He was fast losing patience with this whole operation. "Alright, let's try this again. Yamato, you know as well as I do that we don't currently have any idea where Kakashi is. Sakura and Sai, yes I can still track him using senjutsu, which is what I was about to do before you all interrupted. Guy, we would have moved on already if I hadn't had to waste my time telling you all to stop asking stupid questions. And, speaking of which… Naruto, I don't care if you're hungry this is no time for a break. Now," he went on, in a slightly calmer tone, "like it or not – and I'm certainly starting not to – I've been put in charge of this operation. So one way or another we're all going to have to work together. And it'll be a lot easier to get to Kakashi if we haven't all killed each other first. So if you can all please keep quiet for just one moment, I might be able to locate that reckless idiot so that we can catch up with him and all go home."

Okay, he knew it wouldn't be that simple. But maybe if he managed to instil a bit of optimism in the team then they'd all stop being so unbearably idiotic. So, without any further delay, Jiraiya began to weave his chakra into his natural surroundings. He didn't need to activate Sage Mode fully; just enough to give him an awareness of the chakra signatures in the nearby area. Once he'd locked onto Kakashi's, the rest would with any luck prove easy.

But a moment later, it became clear that things going smoothly was simply too much to hope for. Instead of engaging with the Copy-Ninja's chakra signature, Jiraiya found himself immediately distracted by a strange energy being generated from elsewhere. It seemed to be creeping towards them, surrounding them on all sides. With senjutsu, the Sannin could easily sense its destructive power. But the way in which this energy was intertwined with the intrinsic life-force of the land itself… this was a jutsu that only a Sage could have detected.

Which made Jiraiya's being just that a rather fortunate coincidence. Although, as the insidious, barely perceptible, yet staggeringly powerful chakra signatures began to coalesce from their various locations, while still surging towards the retrieval squad, the Toad Sage realised that this was no time for complacency. Not now that the purpose of this energy was becoming all too clear.

"Watch out!" the Sannin yelled as the retrieval squad looked up at him in shock, "Something's about to explode!"

* * *

They were only a matter of hours away from their destination and Shikamaru was fast beginning to realise that restlessness was an extremely troublesome occupation. The others were all sound asleep, and he'd been stuck pulling watch duty. The Chunin would've liked to have used this time to meditate on the possible scenarios for their upcoming encounter. However, the volume at which Asuma was currently snoring meant firstly that a herd of elephants could have snuck up on them unnoticed, and secondly that he was completely unable to formulate any useful or coherent deductions about their present situation. Even when asleep, his Sensei still managed to be a nuisance. And so the normally languid Chunin had no choice but to sit there in rigid discomfort until someone woke to relieve him.

And, seeing as he couldn't come up with any constructive thoughts about what was to come, Shikamaru's mind was instead bombarded by the many misgivings he had about the mission they'd been assigned. The majority of these misgivings were based around the fact that Asuma had a personal score to settle with this particular Akatsuki pair. Add to that the fact that their intel placed the two criminals as quite literally immortal, and the entire situation was becoming decidedly bothersome. And by the distinct lack of tobacco smoke being generated by his Sensei, Shikamaru knew that Asuma was also rather concerned about their current task.

The inconvenient truth was that – to that mule-headed Jonin – this was most likely a mission of vengeance. Whether the man admitted it or not, when it came to facing the Akatsuki, all logical thought would probably take second place next to avenging his comrade. And seeing as Chiriku had been as important to Asuma as Choji was to himself, Shikamaru couldn't really blame his Sensei for wanting to murder the bastards who'd killed him. He only hoped that idiot would at least draw the line at dying for the sake of revenge.

But of course that's why Shikamaru was there; Izumo and Kotetsu too. It was their job to remind Asuma that he wasn't in this alone. And if that didn't work, then they'd all just have to watch his back and ensure that he didn't end up sacrificing himself to the Akatsuki scum. Shikamaru rarely got worked up on missions, but it seemed that Asuma's unspoken anger at the actions of those two Rogue Ninja was slowly seeping through to him. That pair of felons was becoming more than just troublesome, they were becoming detestable. And the Chunin hadn't even met them yet.

He took a deep breath, wishing there were more clouds floating through the night sky to guide him. And more practically, to give them all some cover from the exposing light of the full moon. Shikamaru knew better than to say he was nervous, rather he was feeling dangerously unprepared. However much intel they'd gathered from villagers driven half mad after seeing the devastation wreaked by the Akatsuki, it wouldn't be enough. These two were incredibly powerful – that much was clear. It was also clear that in order to either capture or eliminate them, his squad would most likely need back up. And that was where Kakashi Hatake came in.

That Jonin was even more aloof, even more laidback than Asuma. And Shikamaru knew that the two were close friends. He also knew that the Copy-Ninja was pretty much on par with the Sannin in terms of power, and was a shoo-in for the position of Sixth Hokage. Although he didn't really seem like the type to put himself forward for the title. And Shikamaru could fully understand that. Most people would've put such an attitude down to the Copy-Ninja's inherent laziness. But it was obvious – at least to him – that Kakashi just felt he'd be more useful on active duty than sitting behind a desk. And he had a feeling that this propensity for usefulness might just turn the battle to their favour, in the end.

Although, another thing that was weighing on Shikamaru's mind was when exactly Kakashi would be joining them. That man had an annoying habit of showing up late, and he hadn't even responded to Asuma's last message. However, in this situation, the Chunin felt that if Kakashi really did arrive too late, or continued not to respond, it wouldn't be because he was busy reading one of those perverted books that he so often hid behind. No, it was most likely that the Copy-Ninja had encountered a delay, one that would hinder his arrival. But they wouldn't know anything for sure until the man actually managed to get in contact with them.

Shikamaru started as this thought was promptly followed by the crackling of radio static from Asuma's pack. The Chunin raised one eyebrow at this cosmic coincidence. But nevertheless, he rose and crossed over to where his Sensei was still soundly – and noisily – sleeping. For a moment, he debated over how best to proceed. He then shrugged and prodded the snoring Jonin with the toe of his sandal. The man grunted in his sleep and then turned over onto his front.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes before giving his Sensei a slightly more pronounced kick – deciding the results would be worth any admonition he received. Asuma lay still for a few seconds and the Chunin was about to repeat his action when finally he saw the ninja's eyes slowly open.

"What the hell, Shikamaru?" the man drawled sluggishly.

The Chunin shrugged. "I know it's troublesome, but I think Kakashi's trying to get in contact with you."

The man groaned. "Oh for Gods' sakes… why didn't you say so?"

"I did," Shikamaru responded quietly and then sat down beside his Sensei, waiting to hear just what news the Copy-Ninja would bring them.

He only hoped it wouldn't be the man saying he was going to be late – as usual. Because Shikamaru definitely did not like the idea of being forced to detain the Akatsuki, while they waited for the Copy-Ninja to come and save their butts. Why was it that he always got stuck with the most troublesome assignments?

* * *

Kakashi's breath burned in his throat, and every sporadic gasp of air stabbed through his lungs as surely as a kunai. He could no longer deny that he was in bad shape. The injury he'd sustained at Tei Iyoku's reanimated hands was proving to be more inconvenient than he'd previously allowed himself to even consider. But the Copy-Ninja knew he had only a matter of hours to reach Asuma – although he wasn't entirely sure of what help he'd realistically be able to provide right now. Then, as if in response to this thought, Kakashi felt his feet falter and he cursed his body for trying to give up on him so easily. Sure, some serious damage had been done to his airway, but it wasn't as though Kakashi couldn't breathe at all. It was just a little more difficult than usual. And even though white spots were flashing before his eyes, the Jonin still refused to admit that he was getting dangerously close to his physical limits.

He knew that Ikari Iyoku was likely tracking him, probably trying to work out why the hell he was fleeing the country that he'd been through so much to enter. A part of Kakashi's mind was wondering the same thing, but in truth, he didn't have much of a choice. Because the Copy-Ninja did not consider the death of one of his closest friends a viable option.

The sun had already set and the rapidly advancing darkness did nothing to ease Kakashi's mind. Then, after another half hour of running, when night had truly fallen, the Jonin decided it was finally time for a short break. He stopped beside one of the tall, skeletal trees, which passed for cover in this otherwise barren stretch of icy land. And Kakashi was immediately glad that he had, because without the emaciated tree trunk to support him, the Jonin knew that he likely would have collapsed then and there.

After steadying himself for a moment, the Copy-Ninja set about determinedly refilling his increasingly empty lungs. But the fact that every fibre of his being was protesting violently against the torture of breathing, meant that this agonising task was fast becoming more effort than it was worth. However, Kakashi knew that he didn't really have a say in the matter. As long as his body was still more or less functioning, the Jonin would continue trying his best to keep it that way. He would be no use to Asuma dead, as tempting as that option was seeming right now. And the Copy-Ninja was perfectly aware that he may yet end up in that condition if he encountered Ikari Iyoku any time soon.

Kakashi sighed and reluctantly fished out a ration bar from his pack. He forced his fingers to unwrap the unsavoury object, before grudgingly lowering his mask. Without the protective cloth to filter the raw, frozen air, every breath sent a feeling akin to lacerative shards of ice through his injured throat. Although, this agony was soon surpassed by the astronomical pain of trying to swallow the dry and tasteless food. It quickly reached the point where Kakashi was wondering why on Earth he'd attempted to eat at all. He knew that the answer to this question was in order to keep his strength up, but any energy he was currently receiving from the bland bar of crushed nutrients seemed to be being promptly expended as he struggled to remain conscious through the almost unbearable agony of swallowing.

After a few minutes, the Copy-Ninja decided that he'd had enough – both literally and figuratively. And so he discarded the rest of the half-eaten bar and got shakily to his feet, firmly replacing his mask as he did so. He then had to pause in these purposeful motions to lean against the tree behind him, as this change in elevation caused a momentary fog to descend over his field of vision. The Jonin gritted his teeth and suppressed the pained groan that had been on the verge of forming in his throat, knowing that any kind of vocalisation would currently be unwise.

"You're hurt, 'Kashi-kun."

Kakashi gasped; barely even registering the pain of doing so. That voice! That loving, devoted, compassionate voice. Its perfection sent a knife through his heart. He could only wish that he was hallucinating. But seeing as the Copy-Ninja could now perfectly recall these words being spoken to him once before, he knew that in fact this was yet another memory being forced upon him. However, the pain of this particular recollection was even more acute, even more insufferable than when he'd felt Ikari's blade skewering his body.

The Jonin willed himself not to listen as that beautifully sorrowful voice continued. But it was inside Kakashi's mind, and was quickly taking over his every sense. Thus the Copy-Ninja had no choice but to recall what had come next.

"Please Kakashi… let me heal you."

Kakashi felt his lips moving, and before he could stop himself, he'd responded to this desperate request in the exact same words as he knew he'd used eleven years ago.

His voice held an edge of deep physical and emotional suffering, which bled into his every agonising syllable. "No, Rin… save your strength. I'll be okay."

It was a lie and they both knew it. But as he began to feel Rin channelling her waning life-force into his wounded body, Kakashi still protested with all of the vehemence that he could muster. "No! I won't let you do this… Rin… please!"

The Jonin – who had then been ANBU – felt his consciousness starting to slip. He fought with all of his remaining strength to stay awake and then tried to force the invasive, healing chakra out of his body. He would not allow Rin to sacrifice her life for him! But he knew that this tragedy could only have one conclusion. And as pain began to envelop his lingering awareness, Kakashi decided that he would not be forced to relive anymore of this torturous experience. The night that he'd let his one remaining loved one die in his name.

It was almost impossible for the Copy-Ninja to distinguish between the pain being created by his memory and the pain from his injury in the real world. But eventually he managed to isolate the raw, throbbing sensation of his bruised and inflamed throat. And focusing only on this agony, Kakashi started to pull his mind away from the merciless torment of his forgotten past.

He blinked a few times, and eventually brought his surroundings into focus. He was now slumped against the base of the tree, which he'd been using to help him rise before this nightmare had descended upon him. Kakashi wasn't sure for how long he'd been incapacitated, but the moon had now risen. He had only half a day left to complete a task that normally would have taken him two. And considering the state that he was in, the Copy-Ninja had no idea how he was going to arrive in time. But Asuma needed him, and in Kakashi's mind at least, that was all that really mattered.

The Jonin forced himself to rise, not even bothering to wait for his distorted vision to clear before setting off once more. This time, the Copy-Ninja kept the pain he was in at the forefront of his mind. Hopefully this would be enough to keep Ikari's genjutsu at bay. Thus he wasn't allowing any other thoughts to form as he ran back towards the border of Frost Country.

In fact, Kakashi had been concentrating so hard on the pain of breathing, that he'd almost missed the unmistakable noise of an explosion coming from somewhere not too far off. It had originated from an area of the country that was for all intents and purposes uninhabited. Thus Kakashi knew that the only people who would have noticed this sudden disaster – apart from himself – were those caught up in it, and the one who'd caused it. And the Jonin had a sinking feeling that he knew exactly who both of these parties were.

But he also knew that any assault that Ikari may have made on his comrades would firstly not have been in person, and secondly would've been more for the purpose of waylaying them than eliminating them entirely. As surely even that arrogant bastard knew that he wouldn't stand a chance against a full squad of six formidable Konoha shinobi, each of whom held the Will of Fire close to their heart. And there was no way that the man wouldn't have realised that one of these shinobi was in fact the legendary Toad Sage. Also, considering that that piece of scum hadn't even dared face Kakashi personally until he'd been wounded, the Copy-Ninja was confident that Ikari wouldn't challenge his comrades directly.

Still, if this disturbance was what he suspected, then it meant that the Iyoku was most likely creating a distraction. And the purpose of this would almost certainly be so that the retrieval squad wouldn't be able to aid Kakashi in his upcoming battle. However, at the moment, the Jonin was keen to avoid this impending fight at any cost. At least until he'd finished trying to assist Asuma against enemies that were likely just as formidable as his current foe.

And it was in response to this daunting task that Kakashi changed his course, so that he could cross into Hot Water from a direction that would enable him to avoid whatever chaos was unfolding up ahead. And all the while, he held onto the fading hope that Ikari Iyoku would not be waiting for him somewhere along the line. But this paltry hope disappeared entirely as an impossibly powerful spike of foreign chakra suddenly surged towards him, in a perfectly directed beam of raw, unbridled energy. The Copy-Ninja quickly erected a shield of his own chakra, knowing the pain that would otherwise have accompanied the sudden influx of unfamiliar energy into his system.

The clan leader was clearly calling him out, and Kakashi knew now that wherever he went, Ikari Iyoku would intercept him. Finally he was certain that there would be no avoiding this fight. Thus Kakashi had to come up with a contingency plan that would still manage to get him to Asuma in time. And so, with a small sigh, the Copy-Ninja dipped a hand into his pouch and removed the long-range communication device with which he hoped to relay the slight change of plans. Not that there'd actually been a fixed plan before. As the last time he'd tried to talk to Asuma, the condition of his vocal chords hadn't yielded any particularly impressive results. But now that he actually had some important information to impart, the time had come to try again.

With the flick of a switch, Kakashi activated the device before raising the mic to his lips.

He made his voice as clear as was possible in his current situation. "Come… in… Asuma."

The words were painful to listen to – although this was nothing compared to the agony that it had cost Kakashi to say them. He waited, silently praying that his comrade would respond. And, after about thirty unbearably tense seconds, his prayers were answered.

"Kakashi? That you?" It sounded distinctly as though he'd just woken Asuma up.

The Copy-Ninja allowed himself a small smirk as he responded. "Who else… would it be… you idiot?"

Kakashi could almost feel his friend rolling his eyes. But the man's tone was all business. "Did you receive my last message?"

"Yeah..." Kakashi replied simply, before deciding that perhaps some slight elaboration would be in order. "I was a little… tied up. But I'm on my way. Can you do… something for me?"

"Um, I suppose…" Asuma sounded dubious. "You alright 'Kashi?"

Kakashi tried to suppress a shudder at the thought of the last time he'd heard that nickname today.

But he managed to keep his tone neutral as he answered. "I'll… survive."

"If you say so," the Jonin sounded thoroughly unconvinced, "what d'you need?"

The Copy-Ninja contemplated this for a moment. A medic-nin would've certainly come in handy right now. But in terms of what he needed from Asuma, Kakashi was relatively confident in his latest change of plan. Even though there was quite a bit of potential for error. "Well," he began, whilst inwardly steeling himself against the pain that this drawn out conversation was causing, "I need you to activate… a teleportation marker. Key it… to my chakra signature. When you meet the Akatsuki… hide it near to where… you intend to confront them. I'll get there… as soon as I can."

For a few seconds, Asuma was silent, then he responded in a voice that to anyone else would have sounded indifferent, but that Kakashi knew held a deep concern. "I guess you're not quite finished on your end then, huh?"

"Not… quite," Kakashi replied, his injured throat starting to burn from overuse. "But if you're… getting desperate… let me know. I'll come straight away. Finished… or otherwise."

"Understood," said Asuma briefly, and Kakashi suspected his friend had deduced that he wasn't currently in the best position to talk.

"Good luck." The Copy-Ninja's tone conveyed that the conversation was over.

Asuma laughed. "Sounds like you need it more than I do, kid."

Kakashi rolled his eyes before deactivating the device and placing it firmly back into his pouch. He then removed a chakra tag for the teleportation jutsu that he intended to use. The Jonin inscribed upon it the appropriate symbols and slipped it into one of his scroll pouches. Now, as long as Asuma managed to configure his correctly, Kakashi would simply have to inject a small amount of chakra into the tag to activate it, and then he would hopefully arrive in time to help his friend.

Well, that was the idea. Although the success of this plan would depend entirely on whether his looming confrontation with Ikari Iyoku left him able to carry out this jutsu at all – or any jutsu for that matter. Then, as Kakashi suddenly found himself surrounded by the same unbelievable chakra as had targeted him earlier, he knew that he was about to find out.

Instinctively, the Copy-Ninja uncovered his Sharingan and drew his katana. There'd be no messing around. Kakashi had a job to do, and he wanted it done fast. But as Ikari Iyoku's voice drifted into his awareness from an invisible location, the Jonin realised that the only way this battle would be over quickly was if he surrendered right now. And needless to say, the Copy-Ninja had no intention of doing that.

His enemy's tone held a perfect balance between arrogance, hatred, and outright insanity. "So we meet again, Copy-Ninja. I wonder what brings you to my country."

Kakashi glared at where he could now see the bastard stepping slowly out of the darkness. It was with immense effort that the Jonin pushed words through his severely damaged throat. But the Copy-Ninja made sure that his tone was far colder than the frozen air around him, and that every syllable of his response promised pain.

"I'm here to ensure… that you never lay one finger… on my loved ones again. Or else it'll be… the last thing you ever do. Murderer."


	13. Confrontation

Chapter 13

Confrontation

Many years ago an epic battle took place. A legendary shinobi, revered world over, encountered a young clan leader determined to prove the fearsome extent of his growing power. And although this latter ninja was eventually defeated, it was the former who ended up dying as a result. However, having not taken the man's life himself, the clan leader found no benefit in this outcome, only the humiliation of his loss. But finally the time had come to correct his old mistake. He would not lose a second time. And if he could no longer defeat the father, he would just have to settle for avenging himself upon the son.

* * *

There was a touch of madness in Ikari's laughter as it reached Kakashi's ears. His every word was coated with malice. "For killing one worthless woman, I'm called a murderer? What does that make you, Copy-Ninja, for the needless slaughter of my entire clan?"

Kakashi took a painful breath. "I did not slaughter… your clan, Ikari," his voice grew bitter, "and nor were their deaths needless. They died for the cause… to which they'd devoted their entire lives. The cause that you… planted in their minds… with your despicable jutsu."

Ikari gave a derisive chuckle. "I would say that it is you whose actions were despicable. And that you shame yourself by refusing to even admit your crimes. You are not infallible, Kakashi Hatake, I could kill you right now without any need for remorse."

The Copy-Ninja growled, no longer sparing a thought for the pain that it caused. "You speak of… shaming oneself, Ikari. And yet you hide in the shadows… like a coward. If you truly can kill me… come and do so."

That bastard made no response, but Kakashi's anticipation was tinged with satisfaction as the man began to walk towards him out of the surrounding darkness. After eleven years, he was about to look upon the face of the murderer who had twice caused the deaths of those whom he loved. And still Kakashi was unable to recall what the man looked like. But at the same time he knew that as soon as he saw Ikari Iyoku again, he would recognise him.

And, a moment later, he did. The man's clan robe rested lightly on his muscular frame. And where Kitai's cloak had been white, Ikari's was bright silver, undimmed by over a decade of hiding in the shadows of his former home. His hood was pulled up over his head, casting his face into darkness. Kakashi had a feeling that this had been done more for dramatic effect than from a genuine desire to prolong his anonymity. The sole remaining Iyoku then waited until the moon had illuminated his form completely before reaching up a hand to the edge of his hood. Kakashi rolled his eyes at the man's theatrics, but he still felt his heart speed up ever so slightly. Then, the clan leader drew his hood back, revealing to the Copy-Ninja the face whose cruel smile had shamelessly accompanied Rin's murder.

Even after eleven years, he hadn't aged in the slightest. He looked only a few years older than Kakashi himself, but the Copy-Ninja knew that their age difference was more than a decade. Ikari's narrow jaw-line was marked by a long scar, tracing the right side of his face. It had clearly been made by a bladed weapon. One with a perfectly honed edge, wielded by an expert hand. But as Kakashi's gaze drifted over the man's high cheekbones and to his eyes, he found himself momentarily spellbound and unable to take in any other aspect of Ikari's appearance.

Those piercing eyes were an unnatural shade of silver, and there was something disturbingly mesmerising about the Iyoku's gaze. It shone with confidence and a clear lust for power, which for countless years had gone unsated. But at the same time, those sparkling silver orbs were as cold as the metal that they so perfectly resembled. Ikari Iyoku was clearly a man who had no qualms about taking human life. Although Kakashi was fully aware of this already.

As the bastard spoke, in that calm, superior voice that betrayed no feeling other than unadulterated pride, Kakashi found his knuckles whitening over the hilt of his drawn katana.

"It is unfortunate that you wish to throw your life away, Copy-Ninja. It'll make the task of killing you somewhat less satisfying. And it's equally unfortunate that even now you seem to over-estimate your own capabilities. You believe that you can kill me without surrendering yourself body and soul to the pursuit of revenge. You still think that you are above such things. Well… I'll show you the strength that comes from embracing vengeance, and then maybe you'll see the consequences of your arrogance."

This was not the first time in Kakashi's life that someone had preached to him the virtues of revenge. But he had no intention of giving Ikari Iyoku the same lecture as he'd given Sasuke, all those years ago. Because even then he hadn't succeeded in convincing the Uchiha that vengeance could only ever lead to further suffering. And he would also not deliver the same speech as he had to Kitai. Then, he'd still hoped to save the young man from his own destruction, but this time Kakashi felt no such compassion. He wouldn't care if that bastard sold his soul to the devil. He hadn't come here to save him – he'd come here to kill him. The fact of the matter was that the Copy-Ninja had been sent to the Land of Frost on an S-Rank assassination mission. And Ikari Iyoku was his target.

However, Kakashi couldn't stop Rin's last words from echoing in his mind. He'd made her a promise, and this had been the true reason why he'd never sought Ikari out until the man had challenged him directly. And now that he had, the Jonin had no intention of letting him escape alive, even though he knew that it would mean putting his own life on the line. But he was a shinobi, he'd been born and bred to face death on a daily basis – as well as to cause it. He'd dispatched more foes in the two and a half decades that he'd been a ninja than most shinobi normally faced in a lifetime. And finally, the Copy-Ninja was about to battle an enemy whom he'd secretly been waiting to slaughter for eleven long years.

* * *

Asuma was trying his hardest to suppress the myriad of rising doubts about his upcoming task. They were fast approaching their destination, and as much as the Jonin was looking forward to facing those Akatsuki bastards, the warnings that they'd received along the way told him that the fight wouldn't be an easy one. He knew that he would have felt better having Kakashi with him right now. After all, there was something about that man's presence that always seemed to focus him no matter what – not to mention the added manpower he'd bring to the team. But the thought of his friend currently being in danger – as well as unable to help them – only served to increase the Jonin's anxiety.

But he was the leader of his current squad; whatever his doubts may be, it was his duty to make sure they were all fully prepared. Whether they succeeded in detaining the Akatsuki or not, the battle would most likely take a lot out of them. And so Asuma decided that he should probably double-check his medical supplies. He pulled out his med-kit and began ticking off the items in his head. But when he got to the chakra boosters, Asuma did a double take. Half his supply was missing!

It didn't take the Jonin long to remember the only other person who'd had access to his med-kit since he'd last restocked it.

"That bastard!" he cursed aloud, ignoring the rest of his team's quizzical glances.

So those damn porn books weren't the only thing that idiot had taken. Well, that was the last time Asuma was going to help alleviate Kakashi Hatake's boredom! Although, the man's theft of his pills was worrying for another reason. The fact that the Copy-Ninja had needed to swipe Asuma's chakra boosters likely meant that he hadn't intended on stopping home first in order to gather supplies of his own. Which in turn suggested that whatever he was doing now, it was not the official mission that he'd made it out to be. Either that or he'd gone against orders by not waiting until he was fully recovered before setting off. Or, knowing that reckless fool, it was probably both. This revelation certainly did not help to boost Asuma's rapidly waning confidence. It was now highly unlikely that Kakashi would be in anywhere close to good shape when he finally managed to join them. Because the only way that the Copy-Ninja would ever have stolen someone else's mission supplies, was if he knew that he was going to need them more himself.

The Jonin sighed, he had faith in his squad, but apparently their enemies were virtually impossible to kill. And even with this knowledge, they still didn't know exactly what their powers might be. Not that it mattered. They had come here to capture or otherwise eliminate that pair of Rogues. Those were their standing orders, and Asuma would see to it that they were followed. He gave a small smile, knowing that if he got himself killed by those Akatsuki scum, Kurenai would never let him live it down – never mind what his unborn son might think.

"What's wrong with you, old man?" Shikamaru's bored voice held its usual derisive undertone, which always somehow let Asuma know the boy cared.

He smirked in the Chunin's direction. "Oh nothing, I was just thinking."

"Hmm," the boy raised an eyebrow, "about…?"

"Never you mind." Asuma watched Shikamaru roll his eyes languidly. "Now, more importantly," he continued, "are you sure you're clear on all of the strategy variations we discussed?"

The kid smirked. "Well, considering I came up with them…"

Asuma chuckled but his face quickly grew serious. "Then let's get this show on the road."

"Yes let's."

The Jonin instantly spun around in response to this unknown voice, drawing his chakra blades as he did so. He felt the group behind him enter battle formation. The speaker's sadistic tone had held a touch of sardonic humour as it'd drifted over from a position a few metres behind them. And Asuma glared at where the red and black robed figures stood a short distance away.

One of them had long grey hair, which was slicked back, and held a giant three-bladed scythe loosely in one hand. His eyes were an odd shade of light purple, while the other's were a shocking combination of green on red. But this second member wore a mask; hiding the rest of his face from view. Asuma couldn't help but be reminded of another masked shinobi. One whose presence really would have come in handy right about now.

Then, the man who'd just spoken continued in a smug voice. "Well at least after being stuck performing an extraction for days on end, and then having to deliver the monk's festering corpse to that disgusting collection office we've finally come across some potential entertainment."

Asuma clenched his fists. "The only entertainment you're going to receive today will be your own painful deaths if you resist capture."

The Akatsuki member chuckled. "How right you are! You know, there's nothing I'd like more than for someone to kill me."

Then the other freak joined the conversation in a deep, resonant voice. "Watch yourself Hidan. I want that one unspoilt; the bounty on his head is five million ryo greater than Chiriku's."

Hidan glared at his supposed partner. "Sheesh, you've only told me that thirteen times already! Let me perform my Ritual first, and I'll make sure that they're all still in good enough condition to be dragged back to that stinking place. But don't expect me to help carry their bodies."

So, these two were already planning what to do after they'd defeated his team. Normally Asuma would have mocked them for their overconfidence. However there was something about the way that this Hidan guy had said 'ritual' that'd put the Jonin on edge. But he was determined to remain in control of the situation. And, failing that, he'd just have to radio Kakashi to get there as soon as possible. Which at least would now be made easier with the teleportation jutsu that the Copy-Ninja had prepared.

"Okay," Asuma said in a level tone, "I think this has gone on quite long enough. Right now the only ritual you'll be performing is the ritual of being captured. And it'll be your bodies, not ours, being handed over by the end of it."

The scythe wielding man licked his lips in clear excitement. "By all means, come and kill me. Only then will I be able to show you Leaf heathens the merciless power of the almighty Lord Jashin!"

* * *

Ikari gave a curious smirk as Kakashi levelled his katana. The boy whom he'd managed to bring to the brink of death eleven years previous had clearly grown into a man. But this time, he had no intention of keeping that upstart alive. It was true that the Copy-Ninja had obviously gotten stronger, but now Ikari would be fighting with the full extent of his power, and with the strength that the pursuit of vengeance had given him. He wondered for a moment how long the Hatake would be able to maintain his aloof façade, acting as though he were above taking revenge, when in truth he was just as much of an avenger as Ikari himself – and had been so for eleven years.

The clan leader then drew his own katana, and he could almost feel the blade's excitement at the prospect of tasting a Hatake's blood once more. Without another moment's hesitation Ikari flew into action, just as the Jonin facing him did the same. Their blades clashed and the Iyoku couldn't help but appreciate Kakashi Hatake's physical prowess. Their katana remained locked for a good few moments before Ikari began to force the man's arm down. He took satisfaction in the carefully concealed surprise evident in Kakashi's gaze.

The Hatake growled and increased the amount of force that he was using to resist Ikari's sword. But even then it wasn't enough. The Iyoku raised his weapon, allowing it to slice through the air towards the Copy-Ninja's now unprotected chest. But when his katana's path was abruptly halted, Ikari had no choice but to be surprised.

Kakashi had used the back of his left hand to block the blade. Ikari noticed the Hatake's arm shaking slightly and knew that the man's body was still trying to recover from the effects of his near suffocation less than a day previous. Ikari smiled and swung his blade upwards; knowing that the Jonin would be unable to block it in time. The man dodged backwards, avoiding mortal injury but not quite fast enough to prevent Ikari's katana from slicing across his chest. And so, unlike in his battle with Sakumo, this time it was the Hatake's blood spilt first.

But Kakashi seemed unfazed, in fact, to Ikari's annoyance, the man's wound seemed only to increase his focus. The Copy-Ninja was quick to launch a strike of his own; moving with a precision and fluidity that had clearly been inherited from his father. But of course this also meant that Ikari was somewhat familiar with the Hatake's fighting style, and thus he was able to counter the man's deadly torrent of attacks. And the Copy-Ninja didn't even have his father's White Light Chakra Sabre to give him an advantage in the swordplay.

Although it soon became apparent that kenjutsu was far from the Jonin's only weapon. Kakashi jumped out of reach of Ikari's blade, before making a series of hand signs that admittedly the Iyoku could not even hope to follow. A moment later, an armada of clay senbon came flying towards him. The clan leader raised one eyebrow and with a single sign he caused a controlled explosion to blow the needles out of the air. But at that exact moment, a water dragon surged forth from where the Copy-Ninja stood and dived into the expanding blast. And as the ensuing cloud of steam hid the Hatake from sight, the Iyoku once again found himself impressed by the man's proficiency with his stolen dojutsu. Because it was obvious that such a perfectly timed attack would have been unthinkable, had the Copy-Ninja not been using his famous Sharingan to plan his every move.

Ikari closed his eyes, trying to pinpoint the man's chakra signature within the thick wreath of mist. And yet again he could not help but be impressed. Now surrounding him from all sides were fifteen identical energy signatures. Clearly they were shadow clones. And Ikari could feel each one readying the same jutsu, channelling chakra into their right palms. So he'd get the pleasure of witnessing the Raikiri so early on in their battle, how exciting. However, this excitement quickly turned to displeasure as instead of being confronted by the expected jutsu, he found himself faced with a volley of kunai coming at him from every direction. That bastard had used his own sensory skills against him! Before Ikari could even think of jumping up to dodge the projectile weapons, a great expanse of rock erupted from the ground before fusing together above his head. It was a clear facsimile of the dome that the Copy-Ninja had so recently been trapped in, but it meant that Ikari only had one option left to avoid the unexpected kunai.

He gripped the hilt of his katana tighter before proceeding to swing it in a smooth arc, deflecting the projectiles before they could strike him. But with his focus set firmly on this manoeuvre, he was admittedly not prepared for the Hatake's next ruthlessly calculated move. In fact, Ikari's first indication of the man's actions was when he felt the cold steel of the Copy-Ninja's katana press against his throat.

"Surrender."

The Iyoku was satisfied by the edge of exhaustion already creeping into Kakashi's voice. And he quietly chuckled at the pathetic demand. The response to this of course was the katana pressing deeper into the skin of his neck, but still not quite drawing blood. And his escape options were severely limited by the surrounding rocky barrier. But there was one thing Ikari knew that brat had failed to consider. Fighting in close quarters was exactly how he liked it.

The Iyoku began to feed his untraceable chakra into the walls of the crude earthen dome above him, even as he responded in a clearly unperturbed voice. "My surrendering would only disappoint you, Copy-Ninja. You did not come here to see me walk away with my life. But it seems that in order to satisfy your own self-righteous nature you felt the need to give me that option. Only so that when I refuse, you will feel that I asked for death, and that you are justified in giving it to me. Well naturally I won't surrender. So if you wish, you can continue to lie to yourself, saying that you are not fighting for revenge. But I feel no need to hide the truth. And so I'll tell you now that when the time comes, I will not give you the chance to surrender."

Ikari felt the man's blade bite into his throat, but he didn't wait to see whether the Copy-Ninja truly intended to end his life then and there. After another hand sign, the chakra infused rock surrounding them exploded inwards, with a concussive force that was enough to split the ground open beneath their feet. But having been prepared for the effects of his jutsu, Ikari had already erected a personal chakra shield to avoid any injury. And he waited until the rain of debris had cleared before finding out whether the Copy-Ninja had managed to do the same.

He looked around. The man's clones had all been dispatched, but there was a clear circle of ground that had remained undamaged by the exploding rock. In the centre of this unaffected area stood the Copy-Ninja. He was panting but seemed annoyingly to have sustained no further injury. Ikari's eyes narrowed; there had been a subtle change to the Hatake's Sharingan, one that he hadn't observed the last time they'd met. The Iyoku was almost certain that he was now looking upon the fabled Mangekyo. Supposedly unique to only the elite of the Uchiha. No doubt the Copy-Ninja's means of unlocking this technique was a fascinating story. But Ikari decided that now was not the time to ask. It seemed as though Kakashi had the ability to disintegrate solid matter simply by looking at it with this new eye. But evidently at quite some cost to his chakra reserves.

The clan leader did not hesitate to take advantage of the Jonin's current exhaustion. He channelled chakra into the palms of his hands before slamming them into the already cracked earth. A minute injection of his explosive energy was enough to cause the jagged rocks at the Copy-Ninja's feet to rise up out of the ground. The Hatake jumped to avoid them, but Ikari noticed that this movement had lacked the characteristic grace previously present in his every fluid motion. Immediately the Iyoku darted towards the man, sword in hand. But Kakashi parried the attack with skill, and at the same time managed to land steadily on his feet. However this did nothing to deter Ikari from his onslaught. He struck downwards with his katana even as he brought his knee up to connect with the Copy-Ninja's chest.

The clashing of steel as the clan leader found his blade blocked, was complimented by the distinct sound of the Copy-Ninja's ribs cracking. Well at least one of his attacks had met its mark. The masked shinobi staggered backwards, one hand clutching his chest. And judging by the searing malice in his mismatched eyes, the Jonin had also noticed that he was yet to land a successful hit on the Iyoku. But Ikari felt no reason to stop his attack there. After all, that bastard's death was only the final stage of his plan. Seeing the Copy-Ninja suffer first would be the most enjoyable part. Thus he came to the decision that witnessing the man's reaction to his genjutsu firsthand would be his next means of entertainment.

Ikari sifted through the memories that he'd extracted from the Copy-Ninja's mind. And seeing as by the end of this the bastard would be dead, he decided that perhaps it was time to show him everything. Let him relive that wonderful nightmare in full. After all, the tantalisingly torturous snippets that he'd returned to the Jonin so far would almost certainly not have been enough to satisfy. And so Ikari focussed on linking his mind with Kakashi's, ready to exploit the man's past in order to incapacitate him in the present.

But as he found the Jonin's gaze hardening instead of glazing over with pain, Ikari couldn't help but be perplexed. Kakashi Hatake was quick to turn this to his advantage. Again he wove signs too fast for the human eye to follow, and two jutsu exploded to life at once. First were the three towering walls of earth that burst out of the ground to block Ikari's escape, much as Kakashi's earlier doton technique had. And second was the turquoise lightening now dancing over the Copy-Ninja's fingertips. The Hatake's speed was such that the Iyoku knew this attack would be unavoidable. While at the same time, the Jonin was levelling the katana now in his left hand, ready to perform two simultaneous strikes.

And so Ikari made the one simple move that he still had time to complete, and channelled as much chakra as he could into the area most likely to be hit by the Lightening Blade – deciding that the Copy-Ninja's physical blade posed much less of an immediate threat. He smirked as the Hatake's hand sunk into his chest and his katana pierced his shoulder. Immediately Ikari felt his own chakra targeting the destructive energy surrounding the man's right fist, which in a matter of moments would otherwise crush his heart. The outcome was inevitable. After all, Ikari Iyoku had much more chakra at his disposal than the Copy-Ninja could generate simply in one hand.

He felt the electric blue flames of the Raikiri die as Kakashi's technique was cut off, before it could finish its fatal path through his body. Then Ikari sent his internal shield of explosive chakra to attack the Hatake's right hand. It ripped through the Copy-Ninja's flesh and quickly broke the bones underneath. The Jonin's eyes widened and he pulled his fist free of the clan leader's chest. Granted, some of the blood now flowing down Kakashi's arm was Ikari's own, but most of it belonged to the Copy-Ninja. However, the man spared only a brief glance towards where the skin of his hand and forearm had been brutally burnt away, almost to the point of exposing the shattered bones lying beneath.

Ikari took this opportunity to pull the Jonin's blade loose from his right shoulder. He threw the weapon far out of the bastard's reach before proceeding to inspect the damage that had been done to his chest. Although the wound was by no means small, the clan leader had managed to nullify the Hatake's jutsu before it had punctured his lungs or done irreparable damage to his ribcage. But still, it had been over two decades since an opponent had managed to draw his blood. No doubt Sakumo Hatake would have been proud of his son. Although he wondered whether this pride would remain even after the Copy-Ninja had been defeated.

Still, the Raikiri was a formidable technique. And Ikari doubted that disabling his enemy's right hand would be enough to prevent another attack of the man's Lightening Blade. Thus if he wished to avoid being exposed to it again, the Iyoku would need to make sure that the Copy-Ninja had no chakra left with which to create his signature jutsu. And in order to facilitate this, Ikari would just have to force Kakashi to use the jutsu that had taken so much out of him the first time.

He did not allow the Jonin any more time to recover, as he caused an explosion to burst into life directly in front of the man. Interestingly it seemed that Kakashi's latest injury had done nothing to dull his senses. Before the explosion had even fully formed, the Copy-Ninja had teleported himself out of range. But Ikari had been prepared for this move and even though the Jonin was using a transportation technique, the Iyoku could still track him. And before the Hatake had even materialised a good twenty metres away, another explosion had been sent to greet him.

This time, as Kakashi Hatake found himself transported directly into a trap, it seemed that even he was running out of options. The air around the blast shimmered and began to collapse in on itself until, a moment later, the expanding conflagration had disappeared entirely, leaving only a smoking crater in its place. And beside this crater knelt the Copy-Ninja, obviously on the verge of collapse. But his defiant glare remained undimmed. He pushed himself to his feet, using his left hand to remove a kunai from his weapons pouch, which of course was what he had to resort to now that his katana was out of reach.

Ikari tightened his grip around his own blade; he saw no reason for the Hatake to remain armed at all. And so with a quick teleportation jutsu, he appeared before the increasingly exhausted man. With one thrust, he angled his blade straight towards the Copy-Ninja's heart. Instinctively Kakashi deflected the strike. But this was exactly what Ikari had wanted. He allowed the Hatake's kunai to misdirect his blade until, instead of hitting a vital spot, it sunk deep into the man's thigh, cutting loose his weapons pouch. And before the Jonin could retrieve it, Ikari released a concentrated blast of energy, forcing him to leap backwards out of range of both the explosion and his remaining supply of kunai. Thus Kakashi Hatake was finally weaponless.

And now that Ikari could sense the man running dangerously low on chakra, he felt that it was time to try his genjutsu once more. He wasn't sure what means the Copy-Ninja had used to counter it the first time, but the Iyoku decided that just to be on the safe side, he'd initiate his most powerful version of the technique. The clan leader moved to stand directly in front of the Jonin, smirking as the man attempted to raise his arms into a sign-forming position, only to find his injured right hand completely unresponsive. Ikari then performed some hand signs of his own and finished the technique by looking straight into the Copy-Ninja's now murderous eyes.

At this proximity and power, the Hatake no longer seemed able to resist the jutsu's effects. His eyes rolled back and his lids slowly closed. He then fell unconscious to the ground. Ikari stood over the man's motionless, still bleeding form; ready for a most entertaining experience. He slowly licked his lips, feeling his tongue run over the raised edges of the twenty-one year old scar that adorned the right side of his face. Ikari could only pray that Sakumo Hatake was looking up at them from somewhere in hell, watching his son's slow and painful defeat. Again he intended to invoke in the Jonin's mind every lost memory from their first encounter. The clan leader smiled and placed one foot firmly on top of Kakashi Hatake's injured throat, ready for when the man regained consciousness. Because as soon as he'd had his fun, Ikari Iyoku intended to stamp out that bastard's life once and for all.


	14. Delirium

Chapter 14

Delirium

They were fighting for their lives, each and every one of them. But the four-man cell knew that it wouldn't be enough. They would never give up, they would fight to the death, and with every passing moment they felt their deaths drawing closer. But still they fought on, trying to gain the upper hand against their immortal enemies, until finally they knew that they had only one option left. They would have to contact the single man who might still be able to help them. They had no way of knowing whether he would receive their message. But if he could just get there in time, perhaps they could all still be saved.

* * *

Kakashi stood at the village gates, feeling momentarily disorientated. Why couldn't he remember how he'd gotten here? He looked down, noting the Jonin uniform he was wearing. For some reason these clothes felt perfectly familiar, as if he wore them virtually every day. But Kakashi knew that in reality he rarely wore this outfit, as almost all of his missions required his ANBU gear. And strangely, not having his katana strapped to his back didn't make him feel as vulnerable as it normally did. The ANBU reached up a hand to where the hilt of his blade would usually have rested. But as he flexed the fingers of his right hand and found himself inexplicably surprised that he could move them at all, the strange sense that he was currently trapped in some highly realistic dream increased dramatically. And the voice that he heard next, even though he was sure that he heard it all the time, only served to disorientate him further.

"Are you ready, Kakashi?"

The ANBU turned slowly to face the new arrival. He stared at her. It felt as though he hadn't seen her for years – in anything other than his dreams. Had Rin always been this… beautiful? Kakashi knew that she had, but why wasn't his mind automatically suppressing this thought as it usually did? He continued to stare, feeling a sense of disbelief that he simply couldn't shake.

Rin blushed. "'Kashi, are you alright?"

The Jonin shook his head to clear it of all the out of place feelings that were suddenly rising to the surface. And finally, after a few more moments of vague confusion, he began to feel like himself again. Kakashi Hatake: The Copy-Ninja – as the last few editions of other countries' bingo books had taken to calling him. Jonin, ANBU, elite shinobi. A man who would never let his comrades die. A man with no personal attachments beyond those of friendship and camaraderie. A man whom otherwise would have far too much to lose. Yes, finally Kakashi felt like himself once more.

After taking a few moments to ensure that the strange dream-like sensation wasn't going to return, the ANBU responded to Rin's concerned question with a ready smile. "I'm fine, sorry about that, I was just thinking about whether we have enough supplies for the journey."

Rin returned his smile warmly. "Ah, and do we?"

He met her cheerful yet still clearly anxious gaze. "Yes… we do." Then, after a few moments of not quite comfortable silence Kakashi said, "Well, I suppose we'd better get going."

Rin nodded, and so the two of them set off towards the Land of Frost. The journey would take a good few days but that would give Kakashi some time to get over the odd feeling of detachment that was still lingering somewhere in his awareness, making him somehow doubt all that was going on around him. Almost making him feel like an observer to a mission that wasn't entirely his own. But in spite of all this, the journey passed uneventfully, until the Copy-Ninja eventually found himself within Frost's borders. And now that he was here, Kakashi couldn't escape the nagging feeling that he hadn't actually completed that journey at all. That he'd somehow just ended up here, like a sudden switch of scene in somebody else's play.

Everything about his current situation seemed ever so slightly wrong, but it was impossible to pinpoint why. Then, Rin interrupted his search for answers; that subtle anxiety still present in her gentle voice.

"'Kashi, I can feel something strange."

Kakashi looked up at her. Rin's sensory skills surpassed his own. What she could detect naturally, he had to use chakra in order to sense. He closed his eyes and focused his internal energy until he too could detect a distinct chakra signature gaining steadily on their position.

He met her hazel eyes. "I can feel it too…"

She seemed perplexed. "There's something about that energy, I feel like it's speaking to me, but I can't work out what it's saying."

"I can't feel that," Kakashi responded after a moment's pause. "But it's stopped moving now. Actually I can't feel it at all anymore. Can you?"

Rin seemed to focus her awareness. Kakashi watched as she stood perfectly still, forming one hand into a sign to help concentrate her chakra, while the other hand curled into a loose fist at her side – always a sign that she was worried about something. The ANBU's eyes swept unbidden over her body, taking in every aspect of her appearance. He unconsciously noted how much she'd changed in the last five years. While every day Kakashi remembered the mistakes he'd made in the past, and how he'd sworn to protect Rin so that he may atone for some of those mistakes. In his heart, Kakashi still felt as helpless as that thirteen year old boy who'd been unable to save his closest friend. Forced every day to fight against his burden of regret, to try and overcome his past, while at the same time allowing it to slowly destroy him. But in the meantime, Rin had grown into a woman. And more and more Kakashi found that he was striving to protect her not just for Obito's sake, but for his own.

"No, I can't."

Rin's answer had the Copy-Ninja momentarily confused, but then he remembered what they'd been discussing.

"Right," he said with unintentional abruptness. "Then let's set up camp here, and in the morning we'll head into the village and get this meeting over with."

It seemed as though Rin was slightly surprised by his tone, but she made no comment. Then, without any further conversation, they began to make camp. And all the while Kakashi reminded himself that he was on a mission; being businesslike was no reason to feel guilty.

They ate in silence until eventually Kakashi said softly, "I'll take first watch."

Rin smiled at him, but it didn't quite reach her dark brown eyes. "Okay," she replied simply, and the ANBU acknowledged this with a slight nod before moving to a location that gave him a better view of the surrounding area, as well as of their own camp.

He stood there and let the hours gradually pass by, while he never moved his hand too far from his weapons pouch. Kakashi could no longer sense the chakra signature that had troubled him previously, but now it was the absence of chakra that had him worried. For a moment he was almost sure that he could feel a spike of Rin's energy, but then before he could verify this, it too disappeared. Steadily, almost imperceptibly, the Jonin was starting to feel something close to a dampening fog settle over the surrounding area. It was dulling his senses, or rather making everything around him harder to sense. Eventually it got to the point where, had Kakashi not seen Rin lying there, he wouldn't have been able to detect her presence at all.

The Copy-Ninja uncovered his Sharingan and immediately his eyes went wide. Not because this action revealed something shocking that had previously remained unseen, but rather because the eye did nothing to enhance his perception of the energy around him. The Jonin knew that he had not fully mastered the Uchiha Kekkei Genkai yet, but still, every other time he'd uncovered that eye in the last five years, he'd been able to see clearly what chakra was circulating through the surrounding life-forms. Something was suppressing this power. Something that he'd never encountered before. And what worried Kakashi most was that he couldn't currently sense Rin's chakra at all. He knew that the strange phenomenon unfolding around him was likely responsible for this, but it was still the ANBU's first priority to ensure that she was safe. Even though it would mean leaving his current position and going back down to the campsite, from which he'd no longer have a clear view of his surroundings. This in itself was technically breaking mission protocol. He was supposed to secure the surrounding area first and check on his friends later. But putting the mission above the lives of his comrades was something that the Copy-Ninja had vowed never to do again.

So Kakashi made his way back to where Rin appeared to be sleeping peacefully. He knelt beside her and placed one hand gently on her shoulder. Instantly her eyes snapped open. Kakashi gasped. They were bright silver.

"Rin, what happened to you?" he asked, unable to hide the note of panic in his voice.

She didn't respond, she simply stared at him – and somewhere in the depths of her shocking, metallic eyes, Kakashi saw pain. There was only one possible explanation; she must have been affected by a jutsu. However, if it was genjutsu, he should have been able to sense the foreign chakra in Rin's body, but as it was, he could sense no chakra whatsoever. Kakashi knew that this made no sense. But he had to conclude that it must instead be some form of ninjutsu, a technique that could suppress the spiritual energy that flowed naturally through all shinobi and even through the land itself.

However, as the Copy-Ninja looked about him – still unable to sense the presence of another – he remained clueless as to the origin of this jutsu. He looked down at Rin, trying to understand what had happened to her. Then, he saw her lips part. She took a shuddering breath and finally, she spoke.

Her voice was pained and fearful. "'Kashi… he's inside me… I can feel it! Please… you have to tell the leaders… what he's planning!"

Slowly Kakashi removed a kunai from his weapons pouch. This enemy must have a physical body somewhere. He couldn't possibly be just energy.

The ANBU rose, looking down at where Rin lay. "Who is he, Rin? Where is he?"

She closed her eyes. She seemed to be growing weaker by the second. Then she uttered a single name. One that Kakashi swore at that moment never to forget.

"Ikari… Iyoku."

After this, Rin fell silent, and Kakashi could no longer tell if she was even breathing. But just as he was about to check, a disembodied voice floated towards him. It seemed confident, relaxed, but above all ruthless.

"We meet at last… Kakashi Hatake."

Then, a figure materialised out of the darkness. A man in a flowing silver cloak. The moonlight glanced off his sharp features and Kakashi made sure to record in his mind every detail of this man's appearance, but the shadows cast by the hood of his cloak meant that his face was only partially visible. However, as that hood was drawn slowly back, the Copy-Ninja noticed the enemy's eyes shining with a light of their own. They too were a vivid shade of molten silver.

Kakashi gripped the hilt of his kunai. Whatever this bastard had done to Rin, the Copy-Ninja would make him pay. The Jonin opened his mouth to respond to the man's complacent greeting, to tell that piece of scum to undo whatever jutsu he'd cast upon his comrade or suffer the consequences. But before he got a chance to speak, another voice penetrated the frozen mist hanging in the air around them.

"Kakashi… we need you… now!"

He recognised that voice, vaguely. But it made no sense. Asuma Sarutobi? Impossible. He'd left the village over a year ago. He'd already become one of the Guardian Twelve. There was no way he'd be showing up now of all times. But then Kakashi heard that same unmistakable voice once more.

"'Kashi, we're running out of options here."

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Kakashi knew that there was something important, something he was forgetting. Once again, everything about his current situation began to seem all wrong. The scene around him had frozen. Now there was only that frantic voice. He couldn't recall how or why, but he knew for certain that Asuma Sarutobi needed him. He also knew that for some reason, even though his current mission didn't require it, he was wearing an earpiece, and this now appeared to be where Asuma's voice was coming from. And with that knowledge, suddenly everything else started to come back to him. However, for now, the experience he was currently reliving remained unfinished. At the moment, he still had no idea of what would have happened next. But the Copy-Ninja now knew for sure that once again he was trapped within Ikari Iyoku's mind jutsu. And if he was to have any hope of saving Asuma's life, then he had to break himself free. After all, he knew that no matter what had been about to take place in his mind, it would not change Rin's inevitable fate.

This time it was clear that focusing on the sensations he was experiencing in the real world wouldn't be enough. Kakashi tried to connect with his physical body but could feel it already beginning to go numb. The only experience getting through to him was Asuma's urgent voice, desperate for aid. There was just one option left.

With the paltry remainder of his nearly depleted chakra supplies, Kakashi amplified his friend's voice, using it to block out all thoughts and sensations being generated by reliving his and Rin's last mission together. And just as he felt himself about to run out of energy, the scene in front of him finally shattered. Thus Kakashi found himself returned to the real world. But the Copy-Ninja knew now that all of his energy had been spent, all of his options had been exhausted. He simply had to raise one arm to the pocket of his flak jacket, and infuse the tiniest amount of chakra into the teleportation seal that he'd placed there. Just enough to get him to Asuma's side, where perhaps, if nothing else, they could die together. But he couldn't move. And it wasn't long before he realised that he currently couldn't breathe either. The Copy-Ninja closed his eyes, trying to come up with some sort of plan. But right now, in his current position, Kakashi knew that there was only one way out.

* * *

Ikari watched as the Copy-Ninja began to return slowly to consciousness, just as he felt the connection between their two minds abruptly break. He was certain that the flashback had ended before it'd had a chance to finish completely. And that shouldn't have been possible without direct outside stimulus. Surely the Hatake couldn't have been strong enough to accomplish such a thing on his own. Not in the state that he was currently in. But now that the Jonin had somehow managed to wake up, the Iyoku wondered how much he should prolong the man's suffering. If Ikari spent too long slowly choking the life out of that bastard, then the Copy-Ninja would likely bleed to death first. Kakashi's wounds were deep enough for that, given time.

But at the moment, the clan leader was witnessing the most interesting expressions pass over the man's perpetually masked face. Kakashi's eyes were closed, but Ikari could still read his every emotion. First there was anger and hatred, although directed at whom Ikari could not be sure. But eventually this faded into scorn, intermingled with regret – self-loathing even. Perhaps the Copy-Ninja was finally realising the evil that he had committed. But then an expression of clear acceptance washed over the barely conscious man's face. And Ikari knew that after all this time, Kakashi Hatake had acknowledged his true reason for journeying to the Land of Frost. He had admitted to himself that from the start, he'd been after revenge.

The Iyoku had initially decided that he should let Kakashi die slowly and painfully, while the bastard reflected upon his final realisation. However now that this time had come, he'd made a new decision. He wouldn't choke the man to death. Nor would he wait for him to die of blood loss. No, Ikari Iyoku would kill the Copy-Ninja right now. Toying with the man's remaining life was no less than he deserved. But at the same time, the fact that this piece of scum had been allowed to survive this long was already a travesty in itself. And so the Iyoku knew what he had to do in order to finally end this charade. He lifted his blade, knowing that not even the reputedly invincible Copy-Ninja could survive a katana being stabbed through his heart – if indeed that murderous villain had one.

However, just before Ikari managed to strike, Kakashi opened his eyes. The clan leader stared at the Jonin's Sharingan before laughing aloud. Even now, that stubborn fool was attempting to perform a genjutsu! Well, he'd quickly put a stop to that. Ikari knew the simplest way to stop the Hatake from using his dojutsu was to remove the possibility of eye contact. He lifted his foot from the man's injured throat, taking a moment to enjoy the Copy-Ninja's desperate attempts to draw air back into his lungs. Then Ikari slid his foot underneath the man's body and used it to flip him onto his front, now rendering eye contact – and thus further Sharingan use – an impossibility.

The Copy-Ninja's left hand was now pinned beneath his chest, meaning that even if his right hand hadn't currently been unusable, he had no way of forming signs. And now that his enemy was finally and completely incapacitated, Ikari would take this bastard's life and end this battle once and for all. Kakashi Hatake would die. Ikari would gain the victory that he had failed to achieve against the White Fang. And most importantly, the Iyoku Clan – and his beloved son Kitai – would be avenged. Ikari smiled a victorious smile, even as he raised his blade once more.

Then the clan leader brought his weapon down, straight towards his enemy's back. But as he did so, he noticed Kakashi's left arm twitch underneath his body. Still, whatever the Hatake was trying to do, at this point it was too late. The descent of Ikari's katana continued. He wondered if the Copy-Ninja even knew that the breath he was currently taking would be his last. The Iyoku's smile stretched into a ravenous grin. He felt his sword pierce Kakashi Hatake's flesh, saw the blood rise up over the blade's smooth surface. Just a little further…

But then, without any warning, or indication of any kind, the Copy-Ninja vanished. Ikari found himself frozen to the spot, unable – unwilling – to believe what he'd just seen. He looked at the katana still clutched decisively in his hand. More than two inches of it were coated with Kakashi Hatake's blood. And even more of this blood, from the man's other injuries, could be seen staining the icy ground where only moments before, the Jonin had lain seemingly immobilised. But Ikari could not deny that the Copy-Ninja had somehow escaped him.

Well, wherever he'd managed to transport himself to, it would've almost certainly used the very last vestiges of the Hatake's strength. And tracking him, even without much of a chakra signature to follow wouldn't be a problem. Because one thing was for sure: Kakashi may have eluded him for now, but Ikari would find him. He would hunt that sly bastard down and this time he would make sure that the Hatake had no more tricks up his sleeve. And after their next meeting, Ikari Iyoku knew without a doubt that he would never have to set eyes upon the Copy-Ninja again.

* * *

Jiraiya looked wearily at the smoking craters now scarring the surrounding land. The heat from the countless explosions, which'd been sent there to either delay or dispatch them, had melted the layer of ice coating the branches of the trees above. A steady stream of freezing water rained down upon them. Needless to say, the scene was dismal. But it looked like the diversion had finally ended.

It had quickly become clear that water jutsu alone wouldn't be enough to quench the explosions' flames before they'd finished expanding. And being surrounded by that many concentrated blasts had made dodging out of the question. But in spite of all this, the retrieval squad had not been injured by the enemy's ploy to keep them from coming to Kakashi's aid. This had mainly been thanks to Yamato's wood shields, which had impressively been able to withstand both the fire and the shockwaves accompanying the explosions.

And now that it was over, the time had come to try and locate Kakashi once more. With the hope that, wherever he was, they wouldn't be too late to save him. Thus Jiraiya activated Sage Mode and began scouring the Land of Frost for any trace of the kid's chakra. For the briefest moment, he felt something. It could barely be described as a chakra signature; it certainly wouldn't be enough to keep anyone alive for long. But still, when even this barest mockery of life force suddenly disappeared, the Sannin found himself desperately wishing that he could still sense it.

Which, a moment later – after extending his range of detection considerably – he did. But what Jiraiya now found made absolutely no sense. Kakashi's still barely perceptible chakra signature was now located in the north of the Land of Fire! And what increased the Sage's concern even more were the two incredibly powerful energy signatures also located in this vicinity. As well as four weaker indications of life-force, all belonging to Konoha shinobi whom Jiraiya was fairly sure he could identify. And so, the Toad Sage's overall conclusion was that he had absolutely no idea of what was going on. All he knew was that Kakashi was most likely in trouble. As were the four others currently facing off against whomever those incredible energy signatures belonged to. Which meant that it was up to his current team to help them. And this also meant that they had to get there as soon as possible.

The Land of Fire would take far too long to reach on foot, but fortunately the retrieval squad had a few slightly faster methods of travel at their disposal. Thus Jiraiya walked over to where Sai was still standing perfectly alert.

"So Sai…" he waited for the boy to turn and face him before continuing, "fancy making a few ink birds for us? Preferably fast ones."

The Root member nodded his head slowly, unrolling his art scroll without even asking what the birds would be needed for. But Jiraiya intended to let all of them know just what was going on anyway.

"Alright folks," he announced in what he could only hope was a suitably authoritative voice, "there are a few things I need to tell you." Fortunately everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up, even Naruto. And so, convinced that he had the group's attention, Jiraiya continued. "First and most importantly, I have reason to believe that Kakashi is seriously injured, and is on the verge of total chakra depletion."

At this, Sakura gasped, Yamato and Guy clenched their fists and Naruto's face transformed into an expression that showed just what he'd do if he ever found the bastard responsible for this. Meanwhile, Sai calmly waited for Jiraiya to continue.

"Second," the Sannin went on, "and you'll just have to take my word on this one: he's somehow left the Land of Frost and has ended up back in the Land of Fire."

"WHAT?"

The Toad Sage wasn't even sure how many of the group members had joined in with this collective exclamation – although he was fairly convinced that Sai hadn't. However, the Root member's face had paled noticeably, even relative to his normal ashen complexion. But this was an understandable reaction considering the seeming impossibility of travelling over two hundred and fifty Ri by foot in a matter of hours.

Jiraiya shrugged. "It's true, and right now that's all I know. That and wherever he's ended up, him and a few others – likely including Asuma Sarutobi – are in some serious trouble. So you'll all just have to save your confusion until later, because right now our only priority is what it's been all along: trying to keep Kakashi from getting himself killed."

They all stared back at him with unwavering resolve evident on each and every one of their faces. Jiraiya smiled. Suddenly it all seemed so simple. They would get there in time, they would save Kakashi, and Tsunade wouldn't have to slaughter him on Sakumo's behalf for letting the White Fang's only child die, at least while the two of them were still alive to protect him. Yep, that was exactly how it would go down. After all, if Kakashi and Jiraiya's positions had been reversed, the Sannin knew that the kid would never have let him down – not without sacrificing his own life first. And Jiraiya wasn't willing to let his best friend's son, and his student's protégé leave this world before him.


	15. Saviour

Chapter 15

Saviour

His prey had escaped him; of that he was now sure. But soon he would hunt him down again, and when he found him, this would be settled once and for all. However, even without them confronting each other directly, there were so many ways to play with his enemy's remaining life before finally deciding to kill him. Their battle was far from over. But for the moment, he was content to wait, let that bastard suffer some more, or even recover if he wished. Either way it would be pointless. When they next faced each other in combat, there could only be one victor. And he knew for sure that, this time, no one would be there to save his enemy from total defeat.

* * *

Asuma watched the fluid path traced out by his opponent's three-bladed scythe. This was something he'd seen coming ever since the Akatsuki had managed to track them down even before they'd reached the collection office. Of course, knowing that their enemies were virtually immortal, Asuma had ordered his team not to launch an all-out offensive in anything other than a last resort. And the Jonin felt that it'd mainly been due to this tactical decision that Shikamaru had managed to keep back and fully analyse the enemy's powers. He'd unravelled the true nature of Hidan's ritual in time to keep Asuma from sustaining any serious injuries, and there'd been a point in the battle where things had really seemed to be going in their favour.

But that time had ended as soon as Kakuzu had gotten involved. Asuma knew that this money worshiping scumbag had only joined the fight himself in order to ensure that he'd get his hands on the bounty he was after. And when the two Akatsuki members had begun to actually cooperate with each other, it had immediately become clear just why they'd been paired up in the first place. Their teamwork was flawless. While Kakuzu kept Izumo, Kotetsu and Shikamaru from helping him, Asuma was being confronted directly by Hidan. And with Shikamaru no longer in a position to shadow-bind the fanatical Jashinist, the Jonin had realised that he'd need some back up soon if he wanted any of them to make it out of this alive. But now that Hidan had finally managed to re-enter the blood-drawn symbol that was the key to his demonic ritual, Asuma highly doubted that this help was going to arrive in time. At least not to save his own life.

He watched the seemingly gradual descent of his enemy's weapon, knowing that in actual fact it would meet its mark in less than a second. By impaling himself, Hidan intended to end Asuma's life. And there was nothing that the Jonin could do to stop it. Only a few months previous, he might have simply accepted this fact. Kurenai had always known that their relationship could be cut short at any moment by either of their deaths; that was the risk that any ninja took when becoming closely involved with another. But they were about to have a child, damn it! Asuma couldn't die now. Not without seeing his son's face at least once first. The Jonin closed his eyes, praying to every God he could think of for a miracle to happen.

As he heard the scythe cutting through the air, the Jonin held his breath, bracing himself for the last feeling of pain that he'd ever experience. Then suddenly, he heard another sound. The sound of metal clashing with metal. The moment that was meant to be his last then passed by. And, unable to truly believe that he was still alive, Asuma slowly opened his eyes. But it was almost impossible to accept what he was seeing.

Kakashi Hatake! The man was standing before the enemy, blocking the descent of Hidan's scythe with the back of his left hand. Could this really be happening? Well, who else would have arrived to save him with less than a second to spare? Copy-Ninja was weaponless and clearly wounded, but all that mattered was that he was here.

"Kakashi!" Asuma shouted. "You have to force him out of that symbol. Otherwise I suffer any injury he receives."

The man nodded wordlessly. And before Hidan had even seemed to grasp this sudden change in situation, the Copy-Ninja had launched into one of the most reckless taijutsu assaults that Asuma had ever seen. It was clear from the way he was moving that Kakashi was using the last of his strength. He was making no attempt to avoid Hidan's counter strikes, and seemed focused only on manoeuvring the enemy out of his precious symbol.

The Akatsuki member had obviously noticed this too, but there seemed to be very little that he could do about it. The Copy-Ninja wasn't backing down. But at the same time, Asuma could feel that – although each of Kakashi's blows was made with the intention of forcing Hidan away from his diagram – he was limiting the actual power that he put into his attacks. This was either because he knew that each one was being felt by Asuma himself, or simply because, right now, the Copy-Ninja had very little strength left with which to fight.

But as soon as Asuma could no longer feel his friend's relentless attack on Hidan, he knew that the man had succeeded. However the move that the Copy-Ninja made next was something that the Jonin could never have predicted. Kakashi grabbed hold of the enemy's giant scythe, and from one moment to the next had wrested it from Hidan's grasp. Then, making full use of the weapon's extensive range, the Copy-Ninja aimed it straight at where Kakuzu was currently taking on the rest of Asuma's team. And as soon as it had left his hands, the Copy-Ninja drew something else from the pocket of his vest and tossed it unerringly in the direction of Shikamaru, who – along with the others – had finally noticed his arrival.

Kakuzu easily dodged the scythe, but this gave Shikamaru a chance to catch the unidentifiable object that'd been thrown towards him. But then Asuma's eyes widened as he saw Hidan producing his retractable blade, about to make his counter strike.

"Kakashi! Watch out!" he cried desperately, but knew that the warning had come too late.

But then, just before Hidan's blade met its mark, both Akatsuki members froze. Asuma looked up at Shikamaru. The kid had a triumphant smirk on his face. That was when the Jonin realised where his missing chakra boosters had finally ended up. Kakashi had thrown the kid his stolen supply. Thus giving Shikamaru access to the energy he needed in order to keep their enemies immobilised – at least until they could think up their next move. Maybe now they'd even be able to end this battle once and for all.

The Jonin watched as Kakashi then turned and began walking slowly towards him. Now that Asuma could see him properly, there was no denying that the man seemed dead on his feet. In fact, judging by the injuries that the Copy-Ninja appeared to have, and the fact that Asuma could sense only the barest amount of chakra left in him, it was a miracle that Kakashi was on his feet at all. Asuma made his way to where his fellow Jonin was still advancing – clearly on the verge of collapse. He winced as a stabbing pain shot through his injured left leg, and as the raw air stung the burns covering the right side of his body. But one thing was for certain, he was in much better shape than Kakashi right now.

Then as he reached his friend, Asuma saw the Copy-Ninja produce more chakra boosters, along with a large supply of plasma pills. Without any hesitation, the man turned away from the rest of the group, lowered his mask, and ingested the full supply before pulling his mask quickly back into place. Asuma knew that Kakashi had far exceeded the maximum safe dosage of the battle supplements. And the way that the Copy-Ninja had cringed while swallowing the pills had the Jonin more than a little concerned.

Asuma raised one eyebrow, keeping his voice decidedly casual. "You can overdose on those things you know."

Kakashi glared at him, making it perfectly clear that he was only going to such extreme measures because otherwise there was no way he'd be in good enough condition to help them. "Why don't you tell me that after we've had our throats ripped out by these sub-human bastards?"

Asuma narrowed his eyes. "You sound like you've already had your throat ripped out by someone, 'Kashi. What the hell happened to you?"

The Copy-Ninja's voice was strained and his tone bitter. "Let's just focus on one battle at a time, okay?"

"Whatever you say." Asuma could tell that Kakashi didn't particularly want to talk about it, but still, there was just one more thing that the Jonin couldn't help but be curious about. "I'm sure you'll tell me the full story at some point… but just a quick question. If the battle was so tight, how did you manage to create an opening to teleport here?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I used a genjutsu. Now, can we get back to the matter at hand?"

"Sure." Asuma ran through in his mind all of the enemy's powers that they'd deduced so far. He'd have to make the explanation pretty quick. It was clear that Shikamaru wouldn't be able to hold Hidan and Kakuzu for much longer, even with the boost that Kakashi's – well his – chakra pills had given the kid.

Asuma turned to his friend, ready to brief him on the situation. But as the Jonin met Kakashi's eyes, he could tell straight away that something was wrong. The man's gaze was unfocused, while his fists were clenched tightly.

Then Asuma heard the Copy-Ninja's voice, sounding more murderous and more terrifying than he'd ever heard it before, at least since Kakashi had left the ANBU.

"Let her go now, Ikari, and then maybe I won't kill you."

The Sarutobi stared at his friend, momentarily dumbstruck. Who was Ikari? And who the hell was Kakashi calling 'her'? But it was obvious that the Copy-Ninja was in no position to be answering these questions right now. The man swayed on his feet. Then his eyes closed and he began to fall. Asuma rushed forward to catch him before he hit the ground.

"Shit…" the Jonin muttered as he laid his friend's body down gently. It was clear that without the plasma pills, the Copy-Ninja would have bled out already. And the fool obviously hadn't given his body a chance to let the chakra boosters absorb slowly into his bloodstream; meaning that instead they would only exacerbate his fatigue, and make the internal effects of his injuries all the more serious. At this rate, Kakashi could go into shock at any moment. And his Chakra Network wasn't currently strong enough to regulate his system. But as Asuma saw Shikamaru collapse – his chakra boost having faded – and the shadow link that was holding the Akatsuki members frozen abruptly break, the Jonin realised that from now on all their lives were once again in danger, not just Kakashi's.

A moment of calculated silence then settled over the battleground. But gradually Hidan's rising laughter broke it.

The deranged zealot grinned manically. "So it looks like we won't have to finish off the Copy-Ninja as well, then. Seems someone else's already done that for us. But I'd better use him in my Ritual while he's still more or less alive. A shinobi of that calibre… if I don't sacrifice him soon, Lord Jashin will never forgive me!"

"Shut up Hidan." Kakuzu turned towards his partner. "Your ritual is of no importance. Do you have any idea how much that man is worth?"

Asuma considered launching an attack while the two of them were bickering, but right now, he really had no idea of what else he could try.

Hidan glared at his masked team-mate. "All you ever do is talk about money! Lord Jashin will punish all those foolish enough to put greed and material desires above his unquestionable doctrine. If that idiot Pain wasn't forcing me to cooperate with you, your soul would've been sacrificed a long time ago."

The other Akatsuki member gave a deep, ominous laugh. "Believe me Hidan. If it wasn't for our Leader, you too would have been slaughtered by now."

The grey haired ninja sighed wistfully. "If only! I wish someone would just hurry up and kill me already!"

"That can be arranged."

At this third voice, Asuma looked around in shock, and the two Akatsuki members did the same. It couldn't be… surely! However, it was.

As the Jonin turned, he saw Jiraiya stepping calmly down from a giant black and white bird, which looked more like a drawing than an actual creature. Guy was behind him, along with Naruto, Sakura, the ANBU Yamato, and a young, dark haired boy, who seemed to be the new Team Seven member, the one that Shikamaru had said was called Sai. Well, whoever he was, it didn't matter. All that mattered right now was that, once again, help had arrived when Asuma'd needed it most.

He grinned. "Good timing! I was just beginning to think it was all over."

The Sannin narrowed his eyes. "Asuma, what exactly is going on here?"

But before the Jonin could answer, he saw Naruto rush forward yelling, "What the hell have you done to my Sensei, you bastards!"

Yamato quickly grabbed him by the collar, stopping the kid from launching a frontal attack on enemies who were firstly immortal, and secondly willing to do just about anything to get their hands on the young Jinchuriki. After all, that was the only reason the pair had come to the Land of Fire in the first place.

Kakuzu stared at them all unemotionally. "Ah… more company. And we're in luck, Hidan. This chakra I sense – there's no doubt about it. The object of our search has finally come to us. Now all we need to do is capture him."

"I don't think so." Jiraiya moved to stand in front of Naruto. "That boy's under my protection. If you want him, you'll have to go through me first."

Naruto gave his mentor a long stare before eventually saying, "Thanks Pervy-Sage, but I'm not a boy anymore. I've got a new jutsu that's strong enough to wipe out both of these scumbags with one blow."

Yamato looked concerned, and the ANBU's next words were pitched so that the enemy couldn't hear them. "Naruto, you know that your jutsu isn't finished yet. If you rush in now, you'll only get yourself killed. Or worse, captured by the Akatsuki."

The kid glared at him, but didn't say any more.

Hidan laughed. "So the brat's got spirit. Shame he's so pathetic. Oh well, we'll capture you eventually, little fox. But right now, just be thankful you've got a legendary Sannin as your babysitter. Although, maybe we'll just slaughter the lot of you. Yes, that would certainly please Lord Jashin."

Kakuzu narrowed his eyes. "The bounty on that Sannin's head would be by far the largest I've ever collected. But even against just him, I'm not so sure that we could prevail. And at the moment, we're out numbered five to one."

Hidan scowled. "Are you saying we should retreat? I always said you were a worthless coward Kakuzu! A money obsessed bastard who claims to be immortal, but who's blatantly afraid of dying."

The masked Akatsuki member's voice was coated with malice. "Our Leader would never permit us to engage this enemy. Apart from the fact that we'd likely be defeated, this man is one whom Pain claims he wants to kill personally. Stop being foolish Hidan. Although we have standing orders to capture the Nine Tails, I doubt it would be possible in this situation. No, we're done here."

"Ha!" The zealot leered at Asuma's squad and the new arrivals. "If my partner wasn't such a useless idiot, I would have sacrificed you all to Lord Jashin! You got lucky today Konoha scum." He then looked down at the Copy-Ninja's lifeless form. "Although it seems that some were more lucky than others."

This time it was Guy who took a purposeful step towards the enemy. "Don't think we'll just let you get away!"

Kakuzu locked eyes with the exuberant Jonin. "I'm afraid you have no choice."

With that, both Akatsuki members made identical hand signs and less than a moment later they vanished, leaving only two small clouds of smoke behind.

"How could you just let them escape, Pervy-Sage?" Naruto's expression matched the clear outrage in his voice.

Jiraiya shrugged. "We didn't come here to fight the Akatsuki, Naruto, especially not when you're the one they're trying to capture."

Naruto looked at the ground, his fists clenched.

Then Jiraiya continued, and this time Asuma realised that it was him being spoken to. "What's the situation? Are you guys alright?"

The Jonin nodded. "We'll survive. Though that might not have been the case if you hadn't shown up when you did."

"Right," the Sannin then turned his attention to where Kakashi was still lying unconscious on the ground, "and what about the kid? He looks even worse than you do."

Asuma smirked. "Yeah, it figures. He showed up here half dead, but still managed to save our butts. Then he took a chakra pills overdose and passed out."

Jiraiya was silent for a moment, before slowly saying, "I see…" He then turned to the pink haired Chunin, who as usual seemed on the verge of tears. "Sakura."

The Kunoichi nodded firmly and immediately rushed over to where Kakashi was lying. By the expression on her face, it was obvious that she'd never seen her Sensei looking so… well, dead. But Asuma knew that the man wasn't; he couldn't be. No, he was definitely still breathing. But wait… his breathing. Shit! It was way too fast, and much too irregular. And Asuma knew that Sakura had noticed this too. She knelt beside the Copy-Ninja and placed two fingers over his pulse. It was just as Asuma had suspected…

"He's going into shock!" Sakura's tone was panicked, but she didn't hesitate for a moment, immediately removing the medical supplies from her pack.

She would need to slow his heart rate down and try to somehow counteract the Copy-Ninja's blood loss; otherwise all of his organs would quickly start to fail. And it didn't take long for Asuma to realise that it was his fault the Jonin had needed to use such a dangerous strategy in the first place. He wasn't sure what situation his friend had been in, but maybe if Kakashi hadn't been so distracted by his desperate messages, he could have avoided being so badly wounded. And he certainly wouldn't have had to take that overdose of pills. That in itself seemed to have nearly killed him.

Well, Kakashi would still die if Sakura couldn't stabilise his condition soon. But it wasn't just his physical state that had Asuma concerned. Granted the man had clearly been through a lot. But that moment before he'd passed out, when he'd made that murderous threat. Kakashi certainly hadn't been talking to him, that was for sure. And in spite of everything he'd gone through, Asuma really didn't think that the Copy-Ninja would simply start hallucinating like that, which left only one other option. However, if his friend had been under some sort of genjutsu, then surely there would've been more evidence of it. Hell, Kakashi barely had any of his own chakra left in his system right now, let alone anyone else's. At least as far as any of them could tell.

But whether he was being influenced by a jutsu or not, Kakashi's life was clearly in danger. Still, fortunately, Sakura was a highly skilled medical ninja: she'd been trained by Tsunade herself. And Kakashi was her Sensei; she wouldn't let him go without a fight. Besides, seeing as the Hokage wasn't currently in the vicinity, the Chunin was the Copy-Ninja's best hope of survival. And Asuma knew that everyone else was holding onto this hope just as much as he was. After all, he doubted that any of them particularly liked the idea of that idiot dying, especially after everything that Kakashi'd been through to save them, not only on this occasion but countless other times in the past.

And so, as Sakura got to work trying to save her Sensei's life, Asuma stepped back and decided to just let her get on with it. Meanwhile, he'd try to come up with some sort of coherent explanation for his friend's odd behaviour just before the man had lost consciousness. As there was no doubt in the Jonin's mind that everything here wasn't quite as it seemed. And Asuma also had a disturbingly strong feeling that Kakashi was in a lot more danger right now than any of them had guessed.

* * *

The Copy-Ninja had felt it the moment Ikari had tried to snare him again with the same old trick. The fact that it had come at the exact same time as his chakra boost, likely meant that his enemy was still tracking his every move from afar. But also because of this sudden burst of energy through his system, the Jonin had dropped his guard for a moment. And thus he had missed his opportunity to disengage from the technique before it'd enveloped him fully. However, now that he was trapped within Ikari's genjutsu once more, Kakashi had no intention of backing down. He had chakra now, he could fight this. And he could win.

But for the moment, he would save his strength. Because by the time the two of them met face to face, when the time came to settle this for good, Kakashi wanted to know exactly how that bastard had managed to bring about Rin's death. He wasn't going to break free of this genjutsu until he'd extracted all of the information he needed. He had no reason to rush this time, because as soon as he managed to end the technique, the chakra it would cost him to do so would only render him useless to his comrades. No, Kakashi had already done all he could for them. He'd saved Asuma from the enemy's attack, and given the team a chance to regroup. Whatever happened next was out of his control. Right now he had his own battle to fight. Plus, something told him not to count Asuma's team out just yet.

And so, with no more resistance on his part, Kakashi made a smooth transition into the world of his past, feeling all recollection of his current life slowly fade as he regressed into his eighteen year old ANBU self. Until once again, he found himself face to face with Ikari Iyoku, back in the Land of Frost, where his life was about to fall apart.

Kakashi glared at his enemy, before saying slowly and with all the killing intent that he could muster, "Let her go now, Ikari, and then maybe I won't kill you."

Unsurprisingly, the Iyoku's only response to this was to laugh in his face, before eventually replying, "As you can see, Copy-Ninja, I'm not actually holding her hostage. And as for the jutsu I've placed her under – well – that is entirely the girl's own fault. And don't worry, you will kill me. At least that's what my entire clan will be made to think. And then my son will eventually be driven to avenge my death. After which, the news of your defeat at Kitai's hands will resonate through the entire shinobi world. Thus bringing glory to the Iyoku Clan, and the power that they so deserve."

The ANBU was somewhat surprised by the enemy revealing his entire plan so easily. Clearly the man was overconfident. But that wasn't all. He'd said that Rin had brought this upon herself. Obviously this was a lie, but still, Kakashi wondered what Ikari Iyoku had meant by that.

"Ah yes," the silver-eyed man continued, "you're wondering why I've involved her in this at all. Well, you're right that she is worthless, and in other circumstances I'd have had no interest in her; well, at least no interest in killing her. But in this case, it simply comes down to leverage. I'm not sure whether it's a fault of the Hatake Clan, or if your entire village shares this shortcoming. But I've only ever met one other shinobi so pathetic as to value the lives of their comrades above the deaths of their enemies. And naturally this flaw deserved to be exploited. Although, another reason is that the girl was simply too curious for her own good. She practically asked for this fate. She wanted to understand the nature of my chakra, which only she could sense, and so she probed it with her own. Not realising that her inferior energy could never survive contact with mine."

The Copy-Ninja's eyes narrowed, could it really be true what he was saying? Was Ikari's chakra really that potent? And how could that man truly believe that he'd had no choice but to cast a jutsu on her? To infiltrate her body with his vile, tainted energy. And for Rin to be used as leverage against him for the second time in her life! Well this time, whatever it cost him, Kakashi would make the right choice. He'd never abandon Rin again. And he'd make that self-righteous scumbag pay for playing with the life of the one whom he held most dear, even if he would never admit it.

The Iyoku's gaze then intensified, while still Kakashi kept his murderous response in check.

"Well, I suppose it wasn't entirely her fault. After all, the allure of curiosity is a very dangerous thing. For example, for quite some time now, I've been curious to find out just how you'd compare to that worthless father of yours."

Kakashi glared at him, even as his mind raced with the implications of this statement. "You're right," he responded after a moment's pause, "that would be dangerous."

The man smirked. "You see, I'm not so sure about that, boy. In fact, I'm fairly certain that if I truly wanted to, I could kill you right now. But fortunately for you, your death – at least today – would actually prove detrimental to my plan. Her, on the other hand…" he gestured to Rin's unconscious form, "I can't make any promises about her. After all, my chakra, which she so willingly invited into her body, is far more powerful than anything a normal human can take. So you can go to that meeting if you want, Hatake. You can help the so-called leaders of this land arrange the extermination of my entire clan. But I promise you this, by the time you come back, that girl will be dead."

Kakashi growled – this had gone on long enough. "Undo what you've done to her, Ikari, or I will kill you. I won't say this again."

Once more the Iyoku simply laughed. "Very soon you will have no recollection of even meeting me, let alone assisting in my supposed death. Your threats are meaningless. And of course having the girl here has ensured that you won't try to escape. Also, perhaps it may interest you to know that – as soon as she uses her chakra – my energy, which is slowly destroying her, will take over completely and her death will become inevitable. But of course you will have forgotten all this by the time it truly matters."

The ANBU's eyes narrowed. "What the hell are you talking about?"

The bastard smirked, clearly very proud of whatever scheme he was hatching. "I suppose I have no choice but to show you. But be prepared, Kakashi Hatake. Because something tells me that you're about to step on a landmine."


	16. Frost

Chapter 16

Frost

Over two decades ago, a shinobi universally feared for his formidable strength was dispatched on a vital mission to the Land of Frost. With him went a small cell of his comrades – his loyal friends. But in the end it was his own loyalty that was put to the test. And he did not fail. He put his life on the line, sacrificing the completion of the task in order to save his team-mates. However, he was eventually forced to pay a heavy price for this display of heroism. Soon he found himself condemned by the very village to which he'd devoted his entire life. And when this time came, not one person, not even the comrades that he'd risked everything to protect were there to save him.

* * *

It had been a very long time since Yamato had seen his Senpai in such bad shape, and considering just how many potentially fatal ANBU missions they'd carried out together, that was saying something. It'd been over an hour since Sakura had seemingly stabilised Kakashi's condition, but the Jonin was still showing no signs of returning to consciousness. The kunoichi had insisted that she'd healed his most life threatening injuries, and by the exhaustion painfully evident on her face, the ANBU knew that she'd done all she physically could. However, the fact that the Copy-Ninja still hadn't shown any visible response to this healing, coupled with Asuma's account of how Kakashi'd acted before passing out made Yamato certain that there was something else afoot here.

But for now there was very little they could do to detect it. Sakura had advised against taking Kakashi back to Konoha until he'd at least given some sign of being able to survive the journey. And there was currently no discernable indication of what was affecting the Jonin, beyond the obvious toll that the man's injuries had taken. Until they knew for sure what was going on, it seemed unwise to risk moving him.

The strangest part of all this was that – even though Kakashi'd taken a dangerous amount of chakra boosters – not even Lord Jiraiya could pick up any more than the faintest trace of the man's energy. And apparently even this had seemed as though it were being somehow suppressed. The Sannin had said that it'd felt like there was another energy signature present, only truly detectable by the fact that he couldn't sense it. Yamato supposed that for one in Sage Mode, and thus able to pick up every life-sign and energy signature around them, a lack of chakra would be more noticeable than an abundance.

However this still didn't give them a clear idea of just what his Senpai was going through. They only knew what they'd known all along: Kakashi's life was hanging in the balance and it was up to them to save him, even if they didn't currently know what from. And so, while Sakura began her sixth examination of the Copy-Ninja that hour, Yamato returned to contemplating their various options. Trying to come up with some kind of theory that would explain just what was happening, and how to counter it. He wasn't a bad strategist. In fact, having been taught by Kakashi, he'd become one of the best in the ANBU. But lately he'd heard talk of a young Chunin purported to have analytical capabilities to rival those of his genius father, and to equal the Copy-Ninja himself. And fortunately, they had this young man right here.

Yamato got slowly to his feet, his legs stiff from kneeling by his Senpai's side for so long. He then walked over to where Asuma and Shikamaru were conversing quietly. The Jonin was leaning against the trunk of a large tree on the outskirts of the recent battleground. His wounds had been treated only briefly by Sakura, mainly because the man had insisted she save her chakra for dealing with Kakashi. Yamato could easily tell that Asuma was still in need of medical attention, but the Jonin's life wasn't in any danger so he seemed content to wait. And the ANBU could also clearly see the concern hidden behind the man's listless expression.

Asuma was worried for his comrade. Well that was only natural; they all were. But Yamato knew that Asuma also felt responsible for Kakashi's injuries, even though they could all see that it wasn't his fault. Kakashi had been playing with fire from the moment he'd set foot in Frost. There had never been much chance of him making it out unscathed. But still, every member of the retrieval squad was also feeling personally responsible for not catching up with the Copy-Ninja sooner. Even Guy seemed unusually subdued. Lord Jiraiya had sent him to set up a perimeter guard with Izumo and Kotetsu, clearly with the hope that the two officious shinobi could keep the Green Beast in line and out of trouble. While in the meantime, Yamato, along with the rest of the group, simply didn't know what to do with themselves. It was slowly beginning to drive them all insane.

Well, all except one. Shikamaru Nara seemed genuinely at ease. His hands were buried deep in his pockets and this, along with his perfectly relaxed slouch, gave Yamato the impression that the Chunin had actually analysed Kakashi-Senpai's nonchalant act and was purposely – and flawlessly – imitating it. But of course the ANBU knew that even though this wasn't impossible, it was unlikely. And he also knew that however convincingly lethargic the young man's appearance, he was probably every bit as worried as the rest of them.

Yamato was about to announce himself, when Shikamaru made it perfectly clear he'd been noticed. Although the Chunin was still talking only to his Sensei.

"Sorry Asuma, I know it's troublesome, but I'm afraid we'll have to continue this little chat later."

The kid's tone sounded far from apologetic. In fact, it almost seemed as though he were glad for the interruption. But Yamato still couldn't help but feel that he'd disturbed something important.

Asuma met the ANBU's gaze with a half-lidded stare that showed he too had been spending far too much time around the Copy-Ninja. "Something we can do for you, Yamato?"

"Well actually…" the Operative began before Shikamaru promptly interrupted.

"He wants me… right?"

The Chunin's voice made it sound as though he were anticipating an invitation to do the dishes, not to be consulted on how best to save Kakashi's life. But Yamato could tell by the analytical glint in his eyes that actually the kid knew exactly what was about to come, and had already formulated a working theory. Or at least that was what the ANBU was hoping.

Yamato nodded. "That's correct. And I'm sure that if Kakashi-Senpai was in our position he'd want to know your analysis of the situation."

The kid raised one eyebrow. "Well if Kakashi really was in our position, then I think he'd be the one coming up with a strategy to save whatever poor fool had ended up in his position."

Asuma smirked. "The kid's got a point."

"Yes well I was hoping he might also have a theory," retorted Yamato briskly.

Shikamaru sighed. "Fine then, I'll tell you what I think. Though explaining it all is just going to be a drag for both of us."

The ANBU remained silent, waiting for the kid to begin, and making it clear that however much of a 'drag' it might be, he wanted to hear the Chunin's analysis.

"Okay," the young Nara drawled, his bored expression contrasting with the intensity of his gaze, "Sakura said that Kakashi should have woken up by now. Asuma said he was acting pretty strangely just before he passed out. Lord Jiraiya claims that even he can't sense his chakra, but that he had previously been able to sense it, which is what led you guys to the four of us in the first place. Kakashi also took an overdose of chakra boosters. Now I'm not an expert on these things, but even though that probably worsened his physical condition, it shouldn't have had an adverse affect on his Chakra Network. Also, when he passed out, Kakashi had been talking to someone very specific, who apparently goes by the name of 'Ikari'. It's not someone we've heard of, but we also know nothing about the true identity of the enemy. Only that Kakashi allegedly has some personal vendetta against him. Based on all this, I think it stands to reason that whatever's happening to him, Kakashi had anticipated it. And more than that, he's maintaining some level of conscious control over the situation. But at the same time, the jutsu affecting him seems to be some sort of ninjutsu-genjutsu hybrid that has a side effect of rendering chakra undetectable. And that can operate over long distances. Now I can't theorise much more on that – Kakashi's the resident ninjutsu expert after all, and he's not going to be much help right now – but I can tell you what I'd recommend we do." The kid paused, continuing only after Yamato nodded his consent for him to do so. "I'd recommend that we do absolutely nothing."

"WHAT?" Yamato's jaw dropped. "Do you have any idea what you just said?"

Shikamaru met his gaze evenly. "Obviously. And more so than you do, it would seem. I told you it would be a drag, but you really shouldn't have asked me to explain if you weren't going to listen."

The ANBU spluttered, a thousand different responses springing to mind – none of them particularly amiable. If that child genuinely expected them to just stand idly by while his Senpai lay trapped in a technique that for all they knew was slowly killing him, well perhaps Shikamaru Nara was less like the Copy-Ninja than he'd first thought. Who knew how much Kakashi could be suffering!

"He isn't." Shikamaru's voice was a touch firmer than usual, and Yamato wondered for a moment whether some of Ino Yamanaka's abilities had somehow rubbed off on the kid.

The Chunin continued, his languid demeanour slipping easily back into place. "Kakashi isn't suffering. At least not physically. Yes he appears to be caught in some elaborate jutsu, but for all we know this is a part of his plan. And let's face it; having him conscious would be far more troublesome for all of us at the moment. Sakura's done her best, but it's clear her chakra was never up to the task of healing him fully. And as soon as Kakashi wakes up, he's going to immediately start ignoring any advice he's given regarding his own welfare, and in the end he'll probably wind up in worse shape than he is now. Especially considering that as far as he's concerned, he still has some unfinished business with the enemy. The same enemy who's responsible for putting him in this position in the first place. So it might be a pain in the ass, but we're all just going to have to sit here and wait for a sign that Kakashi needs us. Because if we do anything right now, we're only going to make the situation worse."

Yamato sighed, and was on the verge of voicing his somewhat grudging agreement. Put like that, it genuinely did seem that their only real option was to sit tight and wait for a new development, as much as it went against everything he'd come to believe in. But before he'd even had a chance to open his mouth, a tortured scream suddenly ripped through the air.

The chilling sound then abruptly ceased and there was a moment of absolute silence. Until eventually Asuma broke it, his voice tight.

"I don't suppose that would be that sign you were talking about, Shikamaru?"

The kid groaned. "I guess we'd better find out."

That was all Yamato needed to snap him back into action. He rushed over to his Senpai's side. And he immediately found himself horrified to see Kakashi's back arched in pain, while the Jonin's face was twisted into an expression of utmost agony. But this harrowing sight lasted only a moment before the Copy-Ninja's body went limp once more, and his face no longer betrayed any emotion.

Naruto's frantic voice addressed Sakura, even as Yamato knelt by his Senpai's side.

"Why was Kakashi-Sensei screaming like that, Sakura-chan? I thought you healed him!"

The kunoichi glared at Naruto. "I did…" her voice then faltered; it was obvious that she had no explanation for what had suddenly caused Kakashi to react like this.

Shikamaru slowly came over to join them, giving his input in an undeniably bored voice, which in this situation was testing Yamato's patience to the absolute limits. Surely even someone that laidback should be taking this shocking development seriously. "Clearly he's responding to something that just happened in the illusion he's trapped in."

Naruto's tone was defensive and more than a little agitated. "Well obviously! I knew that! But… um… why aren't we breaking Kakashi-Sensei out of it already?"

Yamato took it upon himself to answer what – for Naruto – was a surprisingly good question. "Unfortunately it's not going to be that simple. It seems as though Kakashi-Senpai has willingly linked his chakra and his mind to whomever is responsible for this technique."

"Basically," Asuma continued, "even now, it looks like that fool has a plan."

Then Jiraiya, who up until this point had remained uncharacteristically silent, gave a smirk. "Have you ever known the kid not to have a plan, Asuma?"

But Sakura's voice was still distraught. "Well that doesn't change the fact that this illusion is putting Kakashi-Sensei's body under a dangerous amount of stress. The pain response he just demonstrated was very real, even if the stimulus wasn't. And I don't think his system can withstand much more of it right now."

The group now gathered around Kakashi's unconscious form contemplated this for a moment. It was eventually Sai who spoke up.

His tone was calm, although his brow was furrowed. "Even if attempting to counter this illusion is the best option, so far all of the normal methods for breaking a genjutsu have failed."

"That's true," Jiraiya responded in a deliberative voice, "but I'm starting to think that there's absolutely nothing normal about this situation whatsoever; apart from Kakashi being up to his neck in shit and the rest of us not being able to do a damn thing about it." The Sannin took a deep breath. "Look… right now I think we're just going to have to trust that the kid knows what he's doing. And in the meantime we can start brainstorming ways to get around this jutsu, but we're not going to interfere unless there's some pretty compelling evidence to suggest that Kakashi's actively trying to break out of the technique himself."

Yamato's fists clenched. "Isn't the fact that he's clearly being tortured compelling enough?"

"Yeah!" Naruto joined in, his voice becoming increasingly adamant. "How can you be okay with us just sitting here and watching Kakashi-Sensei suffer?"

Jiraiya turned to glare at the kid, giving Yamato a hard look as well. "Do you really think that any of us are enjoying this, Naruto? If you can't stand by and watch Kakashi suffer then I suggest you go somewhere else. You too, Yamato. Because I wouldn't be surprised if this goes on for quite some time."

The ANBU found himself shocked by Jiraiya's words. And Naruto summed-up his thoughts perfectly.

"There's no way in hell we're leaving, Pervy-Sage!"

Okay, almost perfectly. But the sentiment was there. And Yamato agreed; perhaps there was nothing they could do for Kakashi-Senpai right now, but they were most certainly not just going to abandon him.

"Alright then," Jiraiya replied curtly, "in that case why don't you quit acting like children and accept the fact that in this kind of situation, the best course of action is rarely the most appealing. Right now we've got to do what's best for Kakashi, not what's best for our own consciences. So we're just going to have to–"

He broke off, and Yamato stared at the Sannin in confusion. The man then closed his eyes and proceeded to stand utterly motionless, a sign that he was trying to tap into the natural energy of his surroundings. And also a sign that something was wrong.

But then Yamato felt it too. He concentrated harder, trying to confirm what he was currently detecting.

Eventually, Asuma spoke up. "Is it me, or is that Kakashi's chakra?"

Yamato furrowed his brow, struggling to lock onto the signature, as the unknown enemy's chakra continued to suppress the faint sign of energy coming from his Senpai's body. "No…" he responded after a few more moments, "it's similar, almost identical… but somehow it's different."

Jiraiya opened his eyes slowly, his face taking on a deeply serious expression. "That's right Yamato. It is hard to tell the difference, especially when Kakashi is the only Hatake you've ever truly come across. But strange as it may seem, this energy doesn't belong to him."

Yamato felt his heart begin to race, even as Naruto asked the question that was on each and every one of their minds.

The kid clearly had no idea of what Lord Jiraiya had been insinuating. "Well then who the hell DOES this chakra belong to, Pervy-Sage?"

Jiraiya looked around at the group. He seemed hesitant to give a response, as if he didn't want to admit his true suspicions. But in the end it was clear that they would get nowhere unless they all understood the situation, which right now only the Sannin appeared to be sure of. Finally, in a grave voice Jiraiya responded.

"This chakra belongs to Konoha's White Fang."

* * *

Kakashi refused to break away from Ikari's complacent stare. He allowed killing intent to radiate from every pore of his being. Ordinarily, this would have reduced his enemies to pathetic, quivering excuses for shinobi. Or at least been enough to make them drop their guard. However, that glint of malevolent confidence still refused to leave Ikari Iyoku's silver eyes. Enough was enough. It was about time the Copy-Ninja showed that piece of scum what happened to those who messed with his comrades. And so, without another thought, Kakashi channelled chakra into his right palm, feeling the Raikiri explode to life in his hand. He would end this fight right here.

But then he heard the Iyoku's subtle laughter. Before Kakashi had a chance to strike, the man formed a single sign. Although, it seemed that for this jutsu, Ikari either could not conceal his chakra or was allowing Kakashi to sense it. Either way, as the ANBU realised what technique his opponent had just set into motion, he allowed the turquoise flames of his Raikiri to die on his fingertips. Not even killing that bastard where he stood would be enough to nullify this jutsu's effect.

He felt the enemy's chakra converging at the centre of his Keirakukei. But at the same time, he felt Ikari's energy split into two distinct signatures, before one of them abruptly disappeared. Then, without sparing another thought as to what Ikari Iyoku had just done, the Copy-Ninja grabbed Rin's unconscious form and leapt as far away as he could from what was about to become the epicentre of a massive explosion. There was no time for hand signs. No time for shield techniques or water jutsu. As soon as he landed, Kakashi threw himself onto the ground, securing Rin's body beneath him. He prayed that this would be enough to shield her from the blast.

But as soon as the first shockwave rolled over him, the Jonin immediately knew that this jutsu was not all it appeared to be. He felt no pain. In fact for a moment he could feel nothing at all. But then, a blinding flash of silver – undoubtedly generated by his enemy's chakra – overwhelmed his every sense. After that, everything faded. Until suddenly he heard a cry of pain, so agonising, so desperate, that Kakashi felt his blood boil with an irrepressible desire to murder the one who'd ripped it from the victim's throat.

Bloodlust engulfed him. Bloodlust… and blood. How could he not have noticed the blood? It was his blood. Only then did the first distant sensation of pain make its way into Kakashi's unresponsive mind. And only then did he realise that the tortured scream that'd fuelled such a sudden madness in his heart had been his own. But the Copy-Ninja had absolutely no idea of whom or what had caused it.

He opened his eyes, momentarily surprised to find Rin pinned beneath him. But when the ANBU took in the scene around him, it became clear why this had been necessary. The ground around them was deeply scorched, while a giant crater had been carved out in a distinct circle, whose circumference they were only just beyond. Kakashi then raised his head and gently pushed away from Rin, before rolling onto his back beside her. He tried and subsequently failed to sit up, as the full extent of his injuries suddenly caught up with him.

Somewhere along the line, a blade had been shoved into his stomach and had exited through his spinal column. No doubt doing irreparable damage to the vital organs in between. And Kakashi found it more than a little worrying that he was only just noticing this now. This must have been the origin of that heart-stopping scream, which he still had no clear recollection of making.

But then, before he could analyse this desperate situation further, he heard a soft, pained voice whisper beside him, "You're hurt, 'Kashi-kun."

Rin was awake. But the Jonin could detect only the faintest life signs coming from her, and he had to assume that she'd been injured too. Perhaps he'd failed to protect her from the explosion after all.

"Please Kakashi…" she continued, her barely audible voice filling with desperation, "let me heal you."

Kakashi turned his head towards her, meeting her plaintive eyes. For a moment, the moonlight was reflected in their hazel depths, making Rin's tear-filled gaze seem to almost shine with silver. But as he began to feel chakra stirring within her, this brief illusion promptly faded.

"No, Rin…" Kakashi responded through teeth clenched against the pain of talking, "save your strength. I'll be okay."

The kunoichi made no response. But instead she raised one shaking hand and placed it just below Kakashi's ribcage. He then felt chakra flow through her fingertips and into his wounded body. Mending the injury that he secretly knew would otherwise have killed him. And the Copy-Ninja could tell instantly that the effort it was taking Rin to heal him was gradually draining whatever was left of her life force.

"No!" the ANBU cried out, trying desperately to roll away from his comrade's healing hands. "I won't let you do this… Rin… please!"

But he couldn't move. All he could do was beg his closest friend not to sacrifice herself for him. Not to leave him in this cruel, cold world alone. Not when he had sworn to protect her. Not when there was so much left unsaid. But he knew that it was too late.

Kakashi felt the very last of Rin's energy entering his body, until the previously fatal wound no longer threatened his life. Then Rin's own body went limp; her warm hand still resting over his abdomen. The ANBU took his friend's hand in his, before placing two fingers firmly against the inside of her wrist.

The Copy-Ninja's heart beat hard against his chest, even as he prayed for the same rhythm to be echoed in Rin's body. Eventually he felt it. An almost imperceptible pulse, but enough to prove that Rin was not lost to him yet. He could still save her. He had to save her.

That was all the motivation Kakashi needed. As long as Rin was alive, he would find the strength he needed to get them both home. If they could only make it back to Konoha he felt that everything would be okay. That was how it always went. Every time as an ANBU that he'd been brought to the brink of death, Kakashi had always somehow made it home. And once there, the Will of Fire had sheltered him, keeping him from further harm. Healing his injuries, bringing him peace of mind until the next life-threatening mission arrived – upon which the deadly game would begin again. And the Copy-Ninja refused to believe that his luck had already run out. He couldn't afford to think that way. Not when someone else's life was hanging in the balance as well as his own. And not when that someone else was the only loved one he had left in this heartless world.

Kakashi gritted his teeth and began forcing himself to his feet. As he did so, he became immediately aware of the other injuries that he'd most likely sustained during the explosion. He tried to ignore them, however it was hard to completely overlook the fact that his left leg firmly refused to support anymore than the barest amount of his weight. But even this wouldn't be enough to stop him from getting home.

He stooped down and lifted Rin's inert body gently into his arms. He had no way of gauging just how badly injured she was. But it would not affect his resolve to get her back to Konoha. That was all that mattered now. And slowly Kakashi began to feel his mind narrowing to focus only on that one goal. That was how he'd push on through pain and exhaustion, adversity and despair. 'Konoha'. 'Home'. It wasn't long before those were the only two words left in his mind. And with each step, they played over and over again. Whilst in the deepest recesses of his conscious brain, the Copy-Ninja remembered the promise that he'd made to Obito five long years ago. He would not break it now. He would protect Rin with his life. And even if it meant sacrificing his life, Kakashi would never let his comrade die.

* * *

Minutes dragged into hours. Hours dragged into days. And soon time lost all meaning. Eventually his own name meant nothing to him. And all of his past memories had been left behind. The only feeling still remaining was the unyielding desire to protect the woman lying unconscious in his arms. That and the instinctive knowledge of how to reach his destination. How to return home. That was something he knew he could never forget.

And so, after what could easily have been years, he saw the village gates rise up in the distance. He had made it. He was home. But at what price? Then, the young woman cradled against his chest raised her head. And as she spoke, he felt his humanity slowly begin to return. He now remembered who he was, who she was, and why he could never allow her to die.

A small smile formed over Rin's perfect lips, while in her voice he could sense the peaceful resignation of one already beyond pain and fear. "Thank you for bringing me home, Kakashi… it's all I could have asked. But please… please, promise me one final thing." She paused and drew in one last shuddering breath. "Don't go after him… don't throw your life away for the pursuit of vengeance. Please, don't tread the path to darkness. I love you Kakashi… that's why I know you'll keep this promise." And then, Rin's last smile died with her, as all signs of life left her body.

Kakashi turned slowly, laying Rin's lifeless form onto the ground; she could easily have been sleeping. And all that he could hope for now was the ability to be that naive, if only for one more moment. But he was not. Rin was dead. And for now, whomever she had been referring to in her final request remained a mystery. But still, Kakashi heard himself whisper, "I promise." Even though he had no way of knowing how this promise could be kept. Even though he'd just broken the final promise he'd made to Obito. The promise that he'd sworn on his life to honour.

That was when Kakashi heard a noise behind him. He turned slowly, but his gaze was unfocused and he found his vision fading. While still his mind remained fixated upon the thought of the unknown murderer, whom he was convinced had taken Rin's life, even though right now he found himself unable to recall any events from the mission that'd seemed so mockingly simple when it'd first been assigned to him. But out there somewhere was the man who'd murdered his last remaining loved one. And even though he'd just sworn never to follow the path of revenge, he could not prevent hatred from overcoming his every sense, and disgust at the thought of that cold-hearted killer being allowed to go unpunished for his actions. This seething detestation blinded him further, until all recognition of the man standing before him was blocked from Kakashi's mind.

And so at length the ANBU turned away once more, fixing his gaze upon Rin's motionless body, praying that he might see her chest rise and fall, or her sparkling hazel eyes open. But nothing happened. And the Copy-Ninja began to feel rage build deep inside of him. It should have been him lying there! And with every heartbeat, the bitter acid of self-loathing was sent coursing through his veins, sustaining the life that he no longer deserved. Then, just as he felt unable to contain his fury for another moment, Kakashi sensed a hand move to rest on his shoulder.

This sudden physical contact caused images to shoot through the ANBU's mind. A cruel smile, a pair of silver eyes, and the unmistakable sound of sadistic laughter. But all clear recollection still remained out of reach. And this was the final straw. Kakashi spun around, ready to push the unknown assailant away from him. Ready to tell him to stay away if he valued his life. But just as his palm was about to connect with this faceless enemy's chest, a hand closed about his wrist. Kakashi found his arm stilled by the enemy's unbreakable iron grip, until he had no choice but to meet this anonymous person's gaze.

However, nothing could have prepared him for the sight that met his eyes. The Copy-Ninja stared in shock, as every memory of past, present and what had then been future – but that he could now see was the true present – suddenly rushed back to him. And were it not for the hand still firmly gripping his wrist, Kakashi felt that he would have fallen.

But as it was, he remained standing, his gaze now locked with the jet black eyes of the one supporting him. Emotions that had been buried for what had been ten, but that he now realised was actually more than twenty years overcame Kakashi's mind until all coherent thoughts fled. And eventually, only one word remained. A word that he never thought he would utter again. A word that he couldn't help but whisper with fear and awe in his voice.

"Father?"


	17. Progeny

Chapter 17

Progeny

Every shinobi makes mistakes. However, the worth of a ninja does not come from the number of mistakes that they make, but rather how they choose to learn from their mistakes. And there is one ninja who – more than any other – has managed to turn his biggest regrets into his greatest triumphs. All those whom he has lost continue to inspire him every day, even though he feels personally responsible for their deaths. And as long as he has his friends to protect, this ninja will never surrender. He first learnt this lesson from his father, but it has been reaffirmed time and time again, at ever greater cost. And for years now, the memory of his former loved ones has driven him forward, shaping him into the peerless shinobi that he is to this day.

* * *

The world spun out from beneath Kakashi's feet until he found himself standing in darkness. The ground underneath him was solid; however, the absence of light rendered it indistinguishable from the pitch black surroundings. But despite the fact that there was no discernable light source, he could see his father clearly, as if the White Fang was being illuminated from within. A beacon in the dark, like the world-famous glow of his legendary tanto. Much like Ikari Iyoku, his father had not changed at all since Kakashi had last seen him. In fact he even looked slightly younger. But the Copy-Ninja knew that this was mainly because that fatal burden of shame, guilt and betrayal had not yet aged the White Fang beyond his years. This was his father as he had been the day he'd fought and beaten Ikari Iyoku. His father in his prime.

Kakashi had no words to fit this occasion. After all, what do you say when you suddenly find yourself face-to-face with a man who has been dead for the last twenty years, and who even now you know isn't really there? Well, the Jonin decided to let his father start what would undoubtedly be one of the most memorable conversations of his life. Provided that this jutsu enabled him to remember it at all.

The man's voice was deep and sincere, with the caring undertone that Kakashi had never been able to forget. "It's good to see you looking well, Son."

Out of all the greetings that his father could have chosen, the Jonin was surprised that he'd gone with this one – especially considering the shape he'd been in when the White Fang had appeared. But when Kakashi inspected himself, he realised that neither the injuries he'd received in his memory, nor those that he'd suffered in the real world had been translated into this latest illusory plane. Right now he was standing in untarnished mission gear, with his katana strapped firmly to his back. But still, his father had made it sound like they'd just run into each other at the ramen stand, not within the treacherous grasp of a psychopath's forbidden jutsu.

The White Fang laughed. "Oh don't look at me like that 'Kashi. I've bought us some time here, so just relax, okay?"

Kakashi's eyes narrowed and his voice was cold. "Why are you here?"

Of course he didn't finish that sentence with 'if it really is you'. If this was some elaborate trick of Ikari's, then the Copy-Ninja would rather not let on that he suspected anything until he'd figured out a way to counter it. But for the moment, apart from the obvious question that he'd just asked, there was nothing that immediately struck him as out of place. Nothing that caused his father to differ from what he remembered of the man – prior to the last few months of his life that is.

Sakumo allowed a lengthy silence to stretch between them, before responding to the question. "I'd decided that you'd seen enough."

The Copy-Ninja raised one eyebrow at this comment. "With all due respect… Dad, don't you think I'm old enough to make these decisions for myself?"

Sakumo's face grew a touch sterner. Kakashi remembered this expression well; it was the one that his father had always worn whenever he'd failed to live up to the man's greatest expectations. Sure enough, disappointment bled easily into the White Fang's tone. "Well I thought you were, but sadly I was mistaken. You knew the threat that the jutsu had begun to pose to your life and you did nothing to prevent it," his father's voice softened ever so slightly. "When you start wanting to die, that's when the man currently in control of your mind can manipulate your memories most easily. He can't suddenly enter the flashback and kill you directly, but he can influence your emotions, driving you further into despair until you would have had no choice but to kill yourself."

In spite of what his father had said, this revelation came as something of a shock to Kakashi. He'd known the risk of fully opening his mind to Ikari's genjutsu, but he hadn't anticipated the possibility of his thoughts being influenced beyond the essential sphere of manipulation that characterised this technique.

Still, it was hard to suppress a bitter smirk as he responded. "So you intervened to prevent me from committing suicide? How ironic…"

His father raised one eyebrow, and Kakashi found it hard to keep from laughing despite himself. After all, now that they had become so close in age, the Jonin felt that he could easily have been looking in a mirror – albeit without his mask. No wonder Jiraiya had always claimed that he'd practically grown into a clone of his father. Although even now, the White Fang was still a good few inches taller than him. And the towering man was keeping his gaze firmly locked with Kakashi's. But this hadn't intimidated the Copy-Ninja over two decades ago, and it certainly wasn't going to now. He remained silent. He had no intention of telling Sakumo Hatake just how he'd met his end. The Jonin knew that even saying this much had been unfair. But standing before his father again, after all these years… Well, Kakashi wasn't surprised that he was finding it so difficult to control his emotions.

When Sakumo had clearly realised that his son wasn't going to elaborate, he spoke himself instead. "Look, I have no way of knowing what has happened between us since I last remember, and perhaps any reason you once had to trust me has been lost. But you need to understand that when you start reliving the past, within a jutsu this powerful, there's no guarantee that it'll play out the same way twice. Surely my arrival has told you that much."

Kakashi met the man's dark eyes and his father stared back at him. Either this was the most realistic illusion he'd ever experienced or this really was a projection of the White Fang's consciousness. After all, there was something about the intensity of his father's gaze. It was something that he'd only ever seen in Sakumo Hatake, and it was what he knew Jiraiya had always meant when he'd said that he had his father's eyes. The calculating gaze of a Hatake; it was as good as any Kekkei Genkai. Because no matter how realistic the technique, that stare could never be accurately reproduced. And that was how Kakashi finally knew beyond doubt that this really was the White Fang of Konoha standing before him. But how on Earth he'd managed to come to his rescue – within the very mind of his enemy – was a mystery.

However, it seemed Sakumo could see that Kakashi had finally decided to trust him. Because as the Copy-Ninja's stance relaxed, so did his father's in kind. Although the White Fang's idea of a relaxed posture was still far removed from the trademark slouch that Kakashi had spent years cultivating.

Along with this shift in atmosphere, Sakumo's tone returned to the conversational one that'd seemed so inappropriate when he'd first greeted him. "So, apart from the obvious, what kind of situation are you in right now?"

Kakashi sighed. "Well at the moment, it's not too bad. As you may have guessed, I've encountered Ikari Iyoku…"

"The thought had crossed my mind," Sakumo interjected calmly.

"However," Kakashi continued, ignoring his father's sarcasm, "right now I'm in good hands, being treated by Tsunade's newest protégé."

"Oh?" At this the White Fang looked interested. "Little Shizune?"

Kakashi smiled. "No actually, although she has become an accomplished medic as well. But I was referring to a young student of mine, Sakura Haruno. She's already surpassed Shizune in many respects, and considering her proficiency in chakra control, I'd say she might even surpass Tsunade herself one day."

The White Fang gave a small, almost wistful smile. "Well that's quite an accomplishment. You must be very proud. And it's good to know that Tsunade's reputation hasn't in any way diminished over time. One day I'd love to hear everything that you have to tell me. But right now unfortunately we have more pressing issues to deal with."

The Jonin nodded. "That's true. Although I do promise, maybe not today, but at some point I will tell you everything, Dad."

Their eyes met and his father smiled, although there was a hint of sadness in his gaze. But after a moment, Kakashi continued, his voice returning to the businesslike tone that he used whenever he was discussing an important task.

"The point is," he went on as if no digression had occurred, "provided that she has enough chakra to heal my most life threatening injuries, I shouldn't be in too much immediate danger."

Sakumo raised an eyebrow. "That isn't a particularly inspiring assessment, you know – even for you. I just hope that these comrades of yours are competent enough to keep you safe."

Kakashi chuckled softly. "I somehow doubt Jiraiya would appreciate the fact that you're still questioning his abilities."

At this, the White Fang laughed aloud. "No wonder you're in such a mess, with that kid looking after you!"

The Copy-Ninja failed to hide the smirk that'd spread over his lips; firstly at hearing his father refer to Jiraiya in the same way that the old man had come to refer to him. And secondly at the irony of Sakumo's statement, considering that sometime shortly before his death, the White Fang had entrusted Jiraiya with Kakashi's own welfare.

His father's tone was a touch rueful. "How is the kid?"

This time Kakashi gave an irreverent grin. "Oh he's as perverted as ever, don't worry. In fact, you'll be proud to know that he's now a best-selling author."

Sakumo's eyes widened. "Don't tell me!"

Kakashi chuckled. "Yep, he went through with it alright. The Icha Icha trilogy! They're quite the gripping read, actually."

The White Fang shook his head in disbelief, his ponytail swaying from side to side. "My son, my heir, my pride and joy reads… porn!"

The Jonin shrugged. "Well, to be fair, as well as being surprisingly well written, the books are loosely autobiographical. It's rather interesting to read about what all of you used to get up to before I'd even been thought of."

Kakashi knew that it took a lot to make the White Fang of Konoha genuinely afraid; in fact most people would have considered it virtually impossible. But right now the look of abject terror plastered over his father's face was almost comical, as was the undisguised note of panic in his voice. "Wait a minute… What exactly has that fool written down?"

The Jonin gave a breezy smile. "Oh don't worry; none of your names are actually mentioned. Those aren't the reasons for the White Fang to have gone down in history, worthy as they may be. But I'd just never known about that intriguing love triangle – if you can call it a triangle at all. After all, it seems that some of the sides were a little bit more… connected than others."

"Kakashi Hatake!" his father's scolding tone hadn't changed one bit. "What have you become? I can't have shaped up to be much of a role-model if you started reading those atrocious so-called books instead of devoting your spare time to training as I always taught you."

The amusement faded from Kakashi's face. "I suppose you could say you weren't really around much." He met the White Fang's stern gaze. "But I know that you were just doing your duty. It took me a while, but I understand that now. It's something that I've been meaning to tell you for a very long time, although this isn't really the 'you' I should be telling, is it?"

His father sighed before smiling gently. "No, I guess it isn't; although I appreciate it all the same. But just because I'm not quite the father you know, don't think that I can't still read your every thought."

"Actually," Kakashi's voice was now sombre, "you're closer than you think to the father I know."

The White Fang nodded slowly. "So my instincts were correct," this was a statement of fact, not a question. "That mission – the last one that this version of me can remember – it really was my last."

Kakashi remained silent, although he knew that to his father this would be as good as a yes.

The White Fang's gaze intensified as he continued. "Dare I ask what happened?"

The Jonin returned his father's penetrating stare with one of equal severity, although he was finding it increasingly difficult to keep his voice steady. "To be honest, it's not one of my fondest memories; I don't really like to dwell on it."

At this response, Sakumo's eyes narrowed. And to placate his father, the Copy-Ninja continued.

"But don't worry;" Kakashi held his father's piercing gaze, his eyes curving up into twin crescents, "you died a true hero."

The White Fang smiled gently and Kakashi could see that a part of him was grateful for the lie. It was clear that this genius of a shinobi, who had always been able to read his son's thoughts, had easily deduced that, although Kakashi may view him as a hero, there were many others who didn't. But the Copy-Ninja knew that even if the man found out the true consequences of his actions, Sakumo Hatake would never regret putting his comrades first. Because Kakashi was proud of him – truly proud. And to a father, his son's pride is all that really matters.

He had spent five years making nothing but mistakes. And in the end, it was only at the cost of his best friend's life that Kakashi had taken to heart his father's final lesson. Together, the White Fang and Obito Uchiha had taught him that in the shinobi world, although a ninja may be killed for not obeying the rules; those ninja who are willing to abandon their comrades are no longer worthy of life. And when all is said and done, it is better to die as a hero than to live as a heartless scumbag. This was what Sakumo Hatake had sacrificed everything to impart.

* * *

Ikari Iyoku was seated comfortably beneath a tree in the heart of the Land of Frost. Not so long ago, he had been feeling complacent at the thought of the Copy-Ninja's obvious surrender. As soon as he'd used his jutsu to confirm the elusive brat's location, Kakashi had actually welcomed the technique and had willingly allowed their minds to be linked. The Hatake had been getting desperate, that much was clear. Unable to proceed without knowing the true events of that night, Kakashi had allowed himself to be drawn into Ikari's jutsu once more.

However this time, the Jonin had somehow managed to replenish his chakra supplies; as if he thought that this would be enough for him to break the illusion! Heh, that foolish upstart was becoming far too arrogant. Inside his own mind, Ikari was the only master, the only one in control. Kakashi Hatake had no power in the realm where the Iyoku reigned supreme.

Or at least that is what he had thought up until a few minutes ago. Because, just as the clan leader had begun steering the Hatake closer to his inevitable demise, something had happened that, although Ikari hated to admit it, had genuinely shocked him. His link with Kakashi's mind was still as strong as ever, but the scene that'd been gradually playing out – the flashback of the Copy-Ninja's near fatal mission – had suddenly frozen, just as Ikari had been about to subtly push the Jonin over the edge, into an inexorable spiral of unrelenting despair. Right now, the Iyoku's only task was to find out exactly what had happened and rectify it before any other unexpected twists developed to keep him from dispatching his prey.

And this was exactly what Ikari was currently doing. He had concealed all traces of his chakra and scent, so that he could afford to turn his full attention inwards. He would have to search his own mind, to scour the very source of his jutsu and identify the missing link. The only problem was that even he could not navigate through a jutsu this complex without devoting quite some time and effort to the delicate procedure. But if there was a part of his mind that had been compromised, Ikari would find it, however long it took, and he would destroy the intruder before they could penetrate any further.

Thus layer by layer, the Iyoku searched; making sure not to unravel his own jutsu in the process. And he quickly became certain that this was not Kakashi's doing. After all, there was no way the Copy-Ninja could have exerted his own influence over the jutsu while still trapped inside it. Just as one cannot see the entire route whilst they themselves are on the path, one cannot simultaneously be both master and victim of the Iyoku's genjutsu – it was simply not possible. But that of course begged the question of just what other possibilities there currently were.

No one could have introduced their chakra into the jutsu externally without Ikari realising it. That much the clan leader knew for sure. Anyone's chakra attempting to harness the genjutsu link was immediately suppressed and mingled with Ikari's own. This was why the normal chakra injection method for breaking a genjutsu could never work with this technique. And he had felt a fair few people try, although so far none of the shinobi currently with the Hatake had dared to attempt anything more than this. And that had convinced Ikari that, if nothing else, Kakashi was still nowhere near fully healed after their encounter, because clearly his comrades didn't want to do anything to put him at further risk. Heh, what pitiful fools they all were!

Well, no matter. At least he was certain that his jutsu was not being tampered with from without. And he also knew this couldn't be the Copy-Ninja's doing from within, despite the fact that after having replenished his chakra stores, the kid was obviously planning on trying to counter the technique once he'd decided that he had all the information he needed. This brought Ikari back to the problem of which shinobi could ever be skilled enough to manipulate his own personal illusion.

And after running through every possible candidate, Ikari concluded that there really was only one man with such rare capabilities. But surely that idea was preposterous. He was dead. Surely after all these years the White Fang of Konoha couldn't have returned. No, Ikari had been the last ever shinobi to fight that contemptible man. He knew this for a fact. But even so, the thought that this legendary ninja had somehow returned from beyond the grave to help his son… Ikari Iyoku would never admit to fearing another shinobi, or acknowledging their superior power. But in all the decades that he'd been a ninja, only one man had ever truly brought fear into his heart. And if that man had somehow come back, and intended to avenge the near death of his son at Ikari's hands. Well, that was not a prospect that he could take lightly, however confident he was in his own abilities.

Because if Sakumo Hatake had managed to find a corner of his mind in which to hide away his essence; the very thought that he'd been able to do this without Ikari's knowledge was something that he couldn't help but be concerned about. And if this projection of the White Fang had been set to activate should Ikari's jutsu ever pose a direct threat to the life of the man's son, well that was rather worrying as well. He couldn't sense Sakumo's chakra from within the technique, which could only mean that the man had managed to permeate the jutsu and actually cause his chakra to inhabit the Copy-Ninja's body directly, just as Ikari's was right now. All of this only added to his mounting concern.

However, there was one primary reason for the clan leader to be worried, which transcended all of the others. Everything that Sakumo Hatake had done, and even now appeared to be doing, was for the purpose of protecting his son. And Ikari knew just how powerful a father could become when defending his only child. Yes, Ikari knew this all too well. However, if that bastard intended to use such a power against him, then Ikari would fight back with the very same incentive. After all, he had yet to avenge his son's death. And as the impending battle would take place within his illusion, the Iyoku knew that he could gain the upper-hand. Because however strong his opponent may be, they were all still inside his own mind, which meant that Ikari would be making the rules. And needless to say, he had no intention of playing fair.

* * *

Even without his father's warning hiss, Kakashi could easily tell the second that the atmosphere changed. That feeling of security, of peaceful détente that had surrounded him only moments before, suddenly fled. In its place came almost palpable malice, as well as a strong sense of hatred and barely suppressed rage. Ikari Iyoku had found them, and the Copy-Ninja had a sneaking suspicion that the man didn't appreciate the White Fang's infiltration of his mind.

Kakashi looked over at his father. In the eight years that he'd spent with the man, he'd only ever heard rumours of just how terrifying he became when his comrades were in danger. Fortunately Kakashi had never had to witness this transformation… until now. The formidable shinobi had drawn himself up to his full height, and was now holding his glowing tanto firmly in his right hand. The Copy-Ninja could feel the raw power emanating from his father's body. And as much as this fearsome sight made him shudder, Kakashi had never been prouder to be that incredible shinobi's son.

But then, before the Jonin could finish preparing himself for the task of fighting alongside his father, a searing pain shot through his body. It took everything Kakashi had not to cry out; not to show weakness in the company of such a great man. But the Copy-Ninja couldn't prevent himself from falling to the ground as he felt the bones in his left leg suddenly shatter. And he soon realised just what was happening. It seemed that Ikari Iyoku's jutsu had the power to return any injuries suffered whilst bound by the technique. And so, within moments, Kakashi found himself returned to the same physical state as he had been eleven years ago, after bringing Rin back to the village.

Although this time around, there was one crucial difference. Something that it seemed his enemy had failed to consider. Right now he hadn't just endured a five day journey, carrying the body of his slowly dying comrade. The pain was there, that was true, but it seemed that Ikari could not so easily recreate the crippling emotional and physical exhaustion that had brought him to the brink of death all those years ago. Right now, Kakashi still had the will to fight; and in front of his father, he would never give in.

The Jonin began to push himself to his feet, reaching for the katana that he knew – in the real world – Ikari had taken from him. But then, his father's stern voice stopped him.

"Stay back, Kakashi. If you die here, don't think you'll simply wake up back in the company of your friends."

The Copy-Ninja gritted his teeth. "I will not dishonour myself by refusing to fight beside you, Father."

The White Fang slowly shook his head. "No, but you dishonour me by showing such little regard for the life I have given you. I fear that my actions – my weakness – have already brought enough disgrace to the Hatake name. Only through you will our clan one day be restored."

Kakashi sighed in silent resignation, before responding in a quiet voice. "Your choice on that day, it wasn't a sign of weakness. It showed your true strength; more than any battle ever could."

Sakumo smiled, "Perhaps. However my choices afterward… I can't know for sure what path I chose, but a part of me feels that it was the path of a coward. You are not a coward Kakashi, and I wish I could say that it's because of how I raised you, but I understand now that I didn't raise you at all. I abandoned you when you needed me the most. But you found the strength to turn resentment into pride, and anger into compassion. You have nothing more to prove to me, Son. Now let me prove myself to you. For whatever I am, in this pale ghost of a reality; let me die to protect you – one last time."

As the White Fang finished speaking, Kakashi felt himself sink to the ground, his injuries refusing to be ignored any further. For a moment, he closed his eyes; accepting his father's desperate request and ceasing his efforts to rise in spite of his injured state. Pain radiated through every inch of his body, burning in his blood. However, it had not been this, but the White Fangs words, that had struck him to the core and rendered him speechless.

Kakashi would respect his father's wishes, and live to bring honour to the Hatake name. He would devote his life to the protection of his village, and devote his soul to the protection of his friends. This was what the Copy-Ninja had promised himself on the day that Obito had died, and even in the midst of this desperate situation, Kakashi couldn't help but be glad; knowing that his father approved of his Ninja Way.

But as he heard the White Fang growl beside him, the wistful smile forming on Kakashi's lips instantly faded away. Only to be replaced by an expression of heartfelt disgust, as Ikari Iyoku materialised before them. The Jonin couldn't help but pray for the ability to kill that bastard where he stood. But right now, Kakashi didn't even have the ability to stand himself. And so he simply glared at the Iyoku; while hatred seethed within his veins. Now that he knew every lasting detail of Rin's death, Kakashi couldn't stop the insatiable thirst for vengeance from clenching around his heart. And it was only his father's perfectly even tone that kept his last thread of humanity from slipping away.

"I thought I told you to stand down, Boy. I'll handle this." The man's voice then fell to a whisper that Kakashi knew only he could hear. "When the time comes, I will use the link between you and Ikari to send you back to him. I will fight him here, because I'm nothing more than a product of his technique, after I manipulated it. His tricks will not affect me as they are affecting you. And you will fight him in the real world. But not for vengeance, you're better than that, Kakashi. I expect you to kill this man in the name of justice, do it for Konoha, and for the Will of Fire. Do not do it to avenge the dead, do it to protect the living. And never forget that I believe in you, Son."

Kakashi looked up, meeting his father's unwavering stare. He could feel the sting of inadequacy enter his eyes, but knew that there was pride shining in his gaze as well. How could he ever live up to the legacy of this hero of heroes, this unparalleled shinobi? Well, as the son of a hero, Kakashi knew that he would never be ashamed. And although Sakumo had made him promise not to throw his life away, the Jonin still found himself desperately trying to overcome the effects of his newest injuries.

Because even if it was only for a moment; the moment that the Copy-Ninja and the White Fang joined forces in battle would be worthy of legend. It didn't matter that no one would see, and that no one would be there to tell the story. In fact the true importance did not come from the prospect of two world-renowned shinobi fighting side by side. No, it came from the thought of Kakashi finally fulfilling his lifelong dream. To stand beside his father in battle; both as a comrade and as an equal.


	18. Power

Chapter 18

Power

The group watched on helplessly, unable to aid the man who meant so much to all of them. To some he was a mentor, to others an irreplaceable comrade, and to one member of the group he was the closest thing that he had to a son. But there was nothing more that they could do for him now. Ensnared by the technique of their unknown enemy, they could only pray that this exceptional shinobi would find the strength he needed to survive. However, there was one simple fact that was enough to give them all hope. This ninja was currently being surrounded by the energy of his father. A man who had gone down in history as one of the most powerful shinobi ever to live.

* * *

Kakashi watched as his father took a single step forward, while Ikari Iyoku stood his ground. The two clan leaders were now only a few metres apart. Both had drawn their swords. And while the White Fang was holding his legendary tanto perfectly balanced in his right hand, Ikari was wielding his katana in one hand and his kodachi in the other – just as Kitai had done during their last encounter. Sakumo Hatake gripped his weapon firmly but lightly. While in contrast, Ikari's knuckles were white over the hilts of his two blades. And even though the Iyoku's expression was perfectly composed, Kakashi could see that the man had not forgotten the White Fang's superlative swordsmanship. In fact, the narrow scar running up the right side of Ikari's face probably reminded him every day of his failure to defeat Sakumo Hatake in their last duel. As well as fuelling his desire to never suffer such an embarrassing loss again.

There seemed to be a silent understanding between these two formidable shinobi. Kakashi was unsure of whether jutsu would be effective in this plane of reality, but the old enemies had seemingly decided to make this a battle of blades rather than ninja techniques. Although technically, they were still currently trapped inside Ikari's own jutsu. But at the same time, the White Fang had also managed to manipulate this technique in the past. The Copy-Ninja had a feeling that both shinobi might try to use this to their advantage. While Kakashi on the other hand, had no control over the illusion he was trapped in. Although, he felt that if worst came to worst, he could still manage to break free. But his father had given him another task. Namely, wait for the right moment and be automatically transported to Ikari Iyoku's current location in the real world. And when he was there, Kakashi would no longer be hindered by the injuries that his enemy had returned to him, and would thus be able to fight that evil bastard fairly.

And until it became clear that he was needed, Kakashi decided that he would not intervene in the battle. After all, with the injuries he currently had, he'd likely be more of a liability than a help; however much he despised the thought of simply doing nothing while his father put his own life on the line. But the time to act would come, Kakashi was sure of that. And until this moment, the Jonin was content to be reminded firsthand of just why the White Fang of Konoha would never be forgotten, regardless of the manner of his death.

He was not disappointed. A moment later, after some unspoken signal, the two men blurred into action. Well, it would have been a blur had Kakashi not uncovered his Sharingan at that moment. But as it was, he could clearly see every otherwise imperceptible movement. The White Fang swung his tanto unerringly towards Ikari's chest, and the Iyoku – while using his kodachi to block the blade – thrust his katana forwards as a counter strike. However, Sakumo did not make the mistake of removing his tanto from Ikari's other sword, and instead angled his body so that the katana passed barely an inch from his collar bone. And all the while, Ikari was trying to force the White Fang's tanto down. But Kakashi knew that his father was stronger than this enemy, and that he would not yield, even when countering the dual strike of two separate blades.

Sakumo Hatake's chakra danced over the surface of his sword. And before Ikari had even managed to comprehend the fact that his attack had missed, the White Fang had flickered out of sight – with a speed to rival that of the Yellow Flash. As he watched the battle, the Copy-Ninja couldn't help but feel proud of his father. The sheer power and grace behind his every flawlessly calculated movement; it stole the air from Kakashi's lungs. Even though nothing would ever make him forget Sakumo's slow, painful decline, and his final desperate act. But none of that would have happened were it not for Ikari Iyoku, and to see that bastard be forced to pay once again for his cruel and needless actions, well that was something that the Copy-Ninja simply couldn't help but enjoy.

However, what the Jonin didn't expect was for Ikari Iyoku to have suddenly gained the power to keep up with the White Fang's almost untraceable movements. As his father reappeared directly behind his seemingly defenceless enemy, Ikari promptly spun around in a motion so fast that Kakashi's Sharingan was barely able to track it. Their blades clashed – both of Ikari's swords now resisting Sakumo's tanto. Previously, Kakashi knew that even using all of his strength, Ikari could never have managed more than a stalemate with the White Fang – neither being able to force the other's arm down. But this time, the Copy-Ninja saw sweat forming on his father's brow, and his breathing start to become laboured as he struggled to prevent Ikari from driving his tanto towards the ground.

Clearly the White Fang had realised that he couldn't remain locked with Ikari for much longer without being overpowered. And so, with what appeared to be a disproportionate amount of effort, Sakumo pushed away from the Iyoku's swords and the two men broke apart. Both were panting, but somehow it was Ikari who seemed to recover quickest. However, the White Fang was still the first to speak. And Kakashi marvelled at his father's ability to suppress all signs of his unexpected exhaustion.

Sakumo's voice was cold, but perfectly even. "So you are using your control over this reality to magnify your own power, Ikari. Heh, you are still a coward. And as before, your dishonour will prove to be your downfall."

The Iyoku smirked, causing the scar running over his lips to twitch slightly. "That is where our opinions differ, White Fang. I am merely using the full extent of my powers, albeit enhanced by the fact that you have knowingly challenged me within my own plane of reality. But that was your choice. And it seems that you are too self-righteous to even admit that in my situation you would have done the same. I am no longer a child Sakumo Hatake. In fact I have lived more years than you at this point. That's an amusing thought, isn't it? Well, either way, I no longer have any reason to be intimidated by you. And knowing how you chose to leave this world, knowing better than even you do right now, I think it's perfectly justified to say that it is you, not I, who is the coward."

At this, Kakashi couldn't keep a growl of rage from escaping his throat. He didn't wait for his father to respond to the Iyoku's slanderous words. Without sparing another thought for that bastard's enhanced power, or for his own injuries, the Copy-Ninja sprang forward, levelling his katana at the unforgivable man's heart. But just as his sword was about to meet its mark, the weapon suddenly fell from his hand. Pain ripped through Kakashi's abdomen; pain that quickly faded to numbness as he found himself choking on his own blood.

"Shit!" his father's frantic voice already sounded distant.

The Copy-Ninja could see the pool of blood forming beneath him, even as his vision started to fade. And this time, he knew that Rin was not there to heal him. He'd been reckless, allowing rage at the denigration of his father's name to cloud his judgement. And Ikari had played his trump card; returning the one truly fatal wound that Kakashi had suffered at that man's hands. Which meant that now his father would surely have no choice but to send him back to the real world, even though the White Fang had not yet conquered the Iyoku's technique, which was what they had both been relying upon in order to give Kakashi a fair chance against Ikari when he fought him for the final time.

But for some reason, his father did not take this course of action. In fact, he didn't even move. He simply stood there with his tanto in hand, continuing to square off against Ikari. And even through Kakashi's blurring vision, the look in the White Fang's eyes was murderous.

The man's killing intent was easily palpable as he spoke. "You go too far Ikari. You're still little more than an impetuous child; the years have not changed that. Not least because you used your despicable jutsu to prolong your own life, draining the energy from any Iyoku who fell in battle, even those who could still be saved. And I would say that your supposed vengeance for your clan, for your son even, is nothing more than anger over the fact that you weren't there to harvest your clansmen's power before they died. This is the one truth that you will not even admit to yourself. And to exact vengeance upon a shinobi whom deep down you know has done nothing to deserve it; that more than anything else is the last resort of a desperate coward. And like I said, you have gone too far. You have made me resort to a move I was hoping I wouldn't have to make, as it would cause my tactics to become far too similar to your own. But I will not let you hurt my son ever again, and I will never let you kill him." Sakumo then turned his gaze towards where Kakashi lay; while the Copy-Ninja tried desperately to cling to the life that still remained in him. The man's voice softened to a whisper. "Hold on 'Kashi, I promise I'll return soon."

After this, the White Fang straightened up, locking eyes with Ikari once more. His voice would have been enough to freeze the blood in any shinobi's veins. "Alright Ikari, you've had your fun. But now I'll show you what the White Fang of Konoha is truly capable of. It's about time you were reminded of how you fared in our first ever battle."

Kakashi's eyes widened at the implications behind his father's words. And sure enough, a moment later both figures suddenly dissolved from sight. And the Copy-Ninja knew that they had just journeyed to another plane, and Sakumo had turned Ikari's own jutsu against him. The Iyoku was about to relive his defeat at the White Fang's hands, although this time, Kakashi knew that Sakumo would use his control over this genjutsu to kill Ikari Iyoku once and for all. And the Copy-Ninja's task right now was simply to stay alive until his father returned. But as he felt the enticing darkness of oblivion begin to draw him in, Kakashi knew that this would be far from easy.

* * *

Ikari Iyoku's blood boiled with rage, but he wouldn't let that bastard White Fang see even a trace of this fury show on his face. But still, there was no doubt about it now. Sakumo Hatake – that disgraced, dishonoured excuse for a shinobi – had somehow managed to take control of his own jutsu. That strange sense of disorientation, which he knew accompanied his victims into the world of their past, slowly began to assert its influence over him. Now Ikari knew for sure that he was about to be on the receiving end of his deadliest technique. Of course, Sakumo Hatake was not an Iyoku; he could never have wielded this jutsu against another, just as his son could not copy it with that stolen Sharingan of his. But nevertheless, Sakumo had the power to reflect Ikari's ultimate jutsu back on him, and was quite clearly doing so.

But even as the clan leader found himself recognising this, all of his memories of the last twenty-one years, the last half of his life, began to fade. Eventually only one simple fact remained. Ikari Iyoku was about to battle the infamous White Fang of Konoha. And as this incredible prospect filled his mind, Ikari barely even noticed that he was now standing in front of his entire clan; all of whom were waiting to be briefed on the details of their mission.

Every eye was fixed upon him, and the young leader no longer even remembered why he'd been hesitating. And so, in a decisive voice he continued. "As you all know, our scouts have received intelligence that none other than Konoha's White Fang – currently their greatest weapon in this coming war – is on his way here to launch a pre-emptive strike against the Land of Frost. And it is our duty to stop him." Ikari saw scepticism enter the eyes of his clanspeople and he struggled to suppress a smirk. "I know what you are thinking… 'Why should we move to prevent what would undoubtedly be a fatal blow to our incompetent so-called leaders?' Well, let me ask you all this. Would you rather surrender this land to the likes of the Leaf Ninja, routed inextricably in their feeble-minded ways and pathetic ideals, or would you rather we amassed the power and devotion to claim this territory for ourselves? Just picture it, all of you…" Ikari paused for a moment, subtly feeding a clear image of the Iyoku's supremacy into the minds of his subordinates. "Would it not be magnificent to finally gain the respect and recognition that we, as the true founders of this land, so deserve?"

No one spoke. But the clan leader could see it in each and every one of their eyes, as well as feel it in their hearts. These warriors were ready to die for him. Coexistence with Frost was a thing of the past. After today, the Iyoku Clan would finally take back the power that was rightfully theirs. All they had to do was eliminate the White Fang. Well, that specific task was something that Ikari intended to carry out alone. After all, this was also his chance to prove himself to his fellow Iyoku. It was true that he had already managed to use the clan marking jutsu in order to wield some power over their minds. But the leader of the Iyoku also needed to capture their hearts and take control of their very souls. Only then would he have the unwavering devotion required to shape this land into what it ought to be. He was so close now. Bringing down Sakumo Hatake was all that he had left to do.

So Ikari informed his fellow clansmen of his plan. How all those who possessed the Iyoku chakra suppression Kekkei Genkai would lie in wait for the White Fang's cell. How swiftly and silently they would abduct the man's comrades, using the element of surprise to remove the problem of resistance. And how once this was done, they would hold these comrades hostage and wait for the legendary Hatake to attempt a rescue. Because Ikari knew that this was what the man would do. He had suspected it all along, but now that the White Fang was drawing ever closer to his land – his perfectly suppressed chakra only detectable to one of Ikari's natural abilities – the Iyoku could feel just what the man was made of.

He could easily tell that his infamous reputation was well deserved, but the clan leader could also sense that this shinobi was different from all others for an entirely separate reason. This was a man who could take a human life without feeling any pity or remorse – and had undoubtedly done so on hundreds of occasions. However, this was also a man who let his emotions rule him when it came to protecting his comrades. For one so powerful, this ideology was pathetic. And Ikari was pleased that he'd be able to use the White Fang's misguided sense of propriety against him. Now all he had to do was wait.

But strangely, the wait that must have taken hours felt as though it was over in mere moments. In fact, a part of his mind had barely even registered that the first stage of their plan had been successfully completed. The White Fang's team-mates had been captured as the Hatake had gone to scout ahead. And of course the fact that the man had never once dropped his guard when it came to sensing enemy chakra hadn't stood in the way of the undetectable members of the Iyoku Clan. Now that they had obtained the bait, all that was left was to lure the White Fang in. And then that previously unrivalled shinobi would fall to the might of the Iyoku.

"Lord Ikari…" one of his clan members approached him with urgency in his voice.

Ikari's face hardened. "I know." Finally, Sakumo Hatake was here. The leader of the Iyoku Clan was about to face his deadliest foe yet. Although he did have some insurance. After all, he intended to make it perfectly clear to that bastard that if he made one wrong move, his comrades' lives would be forfeit. That ought to be enough to keep the White Fang in line.

Unhurriedly Ikari rose to his feet. He ran one hand over the hilt of his katana, but he made no move to draw his weapon; he intended to talk first. Then Ikari began making his way out of the Iyoku's sheltered woodland base, towards the clearing where Sakumo Hatake awaited him. And the Iyoku was certain that the man was indeed waiting for him to arrive. Because to one of the White Fang's incomparable skill, it would have been blatant by now that he was surrounded, and that to proceed further in any direction would only lead to bloodshed. Admittedly at the probable expense of more than a few Iyoku lives, but this would have undoubtedly led to the retaliatory slaughter of the comrades that this shinobi had come to save. And that was why he knew that the White Fang would advance no further into Iyoku territory.

And so Ikari took his time, making sure that his headband was firmly in place. Of course normally the Iyoku Clan would never debase themselves by wearing the symbol of the nation that had all but enslaved them. But if word of this encounter ever reached Konoha, it was imperative that the Iyoku were in no way implicated. And that this attack seemed to be merely a tactical counter strike by the Land of Frost. His clan had always kept themselves isolated from the outside world, and had conducted their dealings in secret. Only when they had authority over this land, would Ikari ensure that there was not one corner of the shinobi world that did not fear the Iyoku name. Such was the legacy that he, as leader, would create.

As he stepped out into the clearing, Ikari made sure that confidence marked his every purposeful motion. Because when Sakumo Hatake first laid eyes upon the leader of the Iyoku Clan, the future leader of the Land of Frost, Ikari wanted that formidable ninja to look past his comparative youth. He wanted the White Fang to see him for the man he truly was, a man capable of matching even him in skill, a man capable of killing him.

Ikari then waited until he was halfway across the clearing before stopping. And as he spoke, he didn't allow any of his growing excitement to make its way into his voice. Even though he had never before stood in the presence of such an unbelievably powerful man. Ikari made sure that his tone showed no hint of fear or self-doubt. After all, he was more than a match for Sakumo Hatake.

"Thank you for coming to meet me, White Fang," he began calmly. "My proposal is simple. Overpower me and your comrades go free. After that we will settle this just the two of us, one clan leader to another."

The Hatake's voice was also calm, but at the same time his tone was infinitely deadly. "There is nothing to settle, Ikari Iyoku."

Ikari's eyes widened. How could this man possibly know his name?

But as the White Fang continued, it became clear that he knew a lot more than just that. "There will be no battle," slowly the man's voice filled with contempt. "However, had there been, I can tell you this: I would have overpowered you, you would have refused to release my comrades after being humiliated by your defeat, and while the medics among your clan fought to save you from death, I would have made my escape with my team-mates. Their lives had been hanging in the balance, but in the end they survived, while many of your clansmen sacrificed themselves trying to impede my departure. And after all this, you used your despicable jutsu to alter your clan's perceptions of what had occurred – making it seem as though I had begged you for my life and was allowed to escape humiliated, while the Land of Frost owed you everything for preventing the success of my mission. And you erased from their minds the knowledge that even after fighting you, I could still have decided to complete my mission and eliminate the head of Frost's army. Making them instead believe that it'd been solely due to your efforts that my mission had failed. When in fact saving my comrades had been my own choice, as their lives had depended upon returning to the village immediately. And I still believe that this was the only honourable choice for any person wishing to bear the shinobi name – regardless of what the Ninja Code may say."

Ikari Iyoku stood there speechless. He had no comprehension of what the White Fang had just said. Was that bastard trying to confuse him before their battle? To intimidate him? To goad him, even? But no. There was a part of Ikari's mind that knew that everything Sakumo Hatake had said was true. And as he watched his enemy's gaze harden to ice, it was clear that the White Fang was about to give the conclusion to his prophetic speech.

There was a hint of sorrow in his voice. "Yes, I rescued my comrades. At the cost of my honour, my dignity and eventually my own life I rescued them. You'd had no need to play with their minds. You'd known that simply by going back for them, I'd condemned myself in the eyes of my village leaders. And that not even the Third Hokage, the most honourable and benevolent shinobi in the Five Countries, could have refuted my infringement of the Ninja Code. I know all this, even though I have no recollection of it myself. Understand this, Ikari. I am not who I appear to be. Right now, I, like you, am merely a figment of your own wretched technique. During my journey back to Konoha, I finally noticed your insidious jutsu reaching out to infiltrate my mind. However I resisted its influence, and turned it against you instead. I implanted a version of myself inside your mind, in case you one day tried to use your powers to kill the only shinobi who could ever live up to my name. And now that this day has come, I am here, in this piteous excuse for a reality. So now you can see, I have not come here to save my comrades. No, Ikari, I have come here to save my son."

Ikari glared at the White Fang. What the hell was this bastard talking about? He tried to stay calm, but more and more he could feel that there was something vitally important that he was missing. Something that he simply couldn't recall. His heart raced and he found himself unable to move. And that was when the White Fang drew his sword. His legendary Chakra Sabre. The Iyoku saw the flash of white light as the blade sped towards him, but he was still rooted to the spot by a force stronger than any he'd encountered before. And then, the glowing tanto pierced his body and blinding light engulfed him. Ikari tried to cry out, but he could already feel his mind start to collapse in on itself, until no remnant of his being was left. And the Iyoku's final feeling was one of uncontrollable panic as he was plunged into eternal darkness. Becoming nothing more than a faded shadow. The last ever victim of Konoha's White Fang.

* * *

From within the suffocating darkness that'd overcome his every sense, Kakashi heard a soft, anxious voice. He couldn't make out any specific words. But eventually he managed to focus on a single phrase, repeated over and over like a lifeline to cling to.

"Hold on 'Kashi. Hold on."

And gradually the familiar voice started to become clearer. "I'm here now. Listen Kakashi… look at me, Son."

Kakashi tried to focus his eyes, but he could barely even open them. However, he could sense his father's presence now; he could feel the White Fang kneeling beside him. The man then took Kakashi's face in his hands, turning his head towards him until the Copy-Ninja was just about able to make out his father's impenetrable eyes, and the concern etched onto the face that was so much like his own. But he had done what had been asked of him, he had stayed alive. Even though his wound should have killed him in minutes. But perhaps only minutes had passed; he currently had no perception of time. And even if he had, it was likely that minutes and hours meant nothing in this realm.

"Kakashi… stay with me," his father's desperate voice only just managed to penetrate the fog that had been slowly resettling over his mind.

It was only then that Kakashi realised how much exhaustion there'd been in the White Fang's tone. And finally, forcing his eyes open, the Copy-Ninja took in Sakumo's appearance. Instantly Kakashi felt his heart miss a beat. Where his father should have been, there was now hardly anything left to see. The man was fading away, like a spirit banished to the underworld.

Kakashi struggled to speak. And he had to fight not to choke on the blood that had risen in his throat. "Dad… what… happened?"

The White Fang sighed, laying Kakashi's head back on the ground as if it were costing him too much effort to even support it in his arms. His voice was strained. "I've now spent virtually all the chakra I was comprised of. I used it to trap Ikari Iyoku within his own technique, and then finally to kill him."

Kakashi let loose a shallow breath. "So… he is… dead… then."

Sakumo shook his head slowly. "No. Merely his jutsu is dead, and this version of me will die along with it, after I complete one final task."

With his suspicions confirmed, the Copy-Ninja now knew what Sakumo's last act would be. He tried to raise himself from the ground; hating how helpless he seemed in front of the shinobi whom he admired more than any other.

His father's translucent face clouded with anger. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Boy? When I give you orders to stay alive, I expect you to keep them."

Kakashi met his father's eyes; easily matching the intensity reflected in the White Fang's gaze. "You should know… more than anyone… self-sacrifice comes… with the Hatake name."

Gradually Sakumo smiled, even as he faded further from sight. "You really are my son Kakashi, and you've grown into the man I always hoped you'd be. Now I know you're ready for this."

The Copy-Ninja focused his eyes on the White Fang's barely visible form, and he couldn't help but feel that he was losing his father all over again. But at least now he would have Sakumo Hatake's last words to guide him. He would continue to live his life in accordance with the principles that his father had instilled in him. This was the only true way to honour that great man's memory. So Kakashi simply lay there, listening to the White Fang's last words.

The man's voice was now virtually inaudible, but there was still clear resolution in his tone. "You will see me again Kakashi, in another place. Although I hope that many decades will pass before then. But however you choose to live your life, I have no doubt that the other me, the one who even now I know is watching over you, will be so proud of everything you've achieved. And everything that you continue to achieve each day; defending Konoha and your precious comrades. I'm so glad that I got to spend some time with you. But from now on, this is your time. And all I can say is this," Kakashi could see his father's eyes fill with unshed tears, even as the White Fang's lips curved into a gentle smile. "Don't waste a single second, Son. Fight for your friends, and never forget how much I love you."

And then finally, the White Fang faded away completely. When his father had died the first time, Kakashi hadn't possessed the strength to cry. But he had grown since then, and the humanity that he had sacrificed that day had since been restored. And so, now that his only ally in this Gods forsaken place was gone forever, Kakashi was left to whisper into the darkness the words that twenty-one years ago he'd sworn never to utter again.

"I love you, Father."

But as the last word left his lips, the Copy-Ninja felt a supernatural energy impress itself upon him. It wasn't unpleasant though. In fact, quite the opposite. It was warm and familiar; telling of open fields, glowing sunsets and indomitable compassion. Yes, Kakashi knew precisely what this strange sensation was. It was the remainder of his father's life force – as had existed in Ikari's mind – being expended in one final dying act. Sakumo Hatake was sending the Copy-Ninja back to true reality. And not only that. He was also using the already fading link between Kakashi and Ikari's minds to send him back to the physical form of his enemy, so that he wouldn't have to attempt escaping from his ever-vigilant comrades in order to journey there himself. And the mortal injury that he'd suffered in this illusion would no longer remain in effect. Although his far from adequate condition in the real world would not change. But all that mattered now was that Kakashi was going back to face his strongest foe yet. The sole surviving Hatake was about to fight the sole surviving Iyoku. And the Copy-Ninja knew one thing for sure. By the end of this final battle, an entire clan would have become extinct.


	19. Vengeance

Chapter 19

Vengeance

The saying goes that revenge is sweet. However, this sweetness comes with a truly bitter aftertaste. But there are still those who will desperately chase revenge, overcome by hatred, craving the infliction of pain upon their enemies. And there are also those who pursue vengeance without even realising it. Their desire to bring the murderer of their loved ones to justice blinds them to the all-consuming darkness lying at the end of their chosen path. Because one truly cannot deny that revenge is sweet. But just like the alluring aroma of a carnivorous plant, it draws its victims in slowly and then traps them in the dark. And the strength needed to escape from this fatal trap is one of the rarest virtues that a shinobi could ever possess.

* * *

Kakashi's transition back to the real world was surprisingly smooth. In fact, as the Land of Frost materialised around him, the Copy-Ninja barely even noticed that he'd been freed from Ikari's technique. But he knew for sure that this was real, and that the battle he was about to fight would not be disrupted by the Iyoku's genjutsu. Although this certainly didn't mean that defeating the clan leader would prove easy. After all, Kakashi still had to try and counter that man's annoyingly diverse range of explosive techniques.

To add to this daunting task, it quickly became clear that Sakura had been far from able to fully heal him. The various flesh wounds that he'd obtained, which had above all else been presenting a risk of serious blood loss, had all been completely sealed. And it seemed that the damaged done to his throat had been reversed, which at least meant that the task of breathing would no longer be such a torturous experience. However, his less life-threatening injuries, which nevertheless would prove inconvenient in battle, had only been shown cursory attention.

A sharp, stabbing sensation shot through his ribcage as Kakashi rose to his feet; almost making him sink to his knees once more. He understood that a few broken ribs wouldn't kill him, and thus hadn't warranted immediate medical attention. However, this was back when he'd been incapacitated. Right now he needed to be able to move freely, without the excruciating pain across his chest hindering him unnecessarily. And another undoubted inconvenience was the fact that, although the crippling burns running up his right arm had been healed, the broken bones in his hand had only been loosely fused back together. Which, if nothing else, would slow his hand signs down considerably. And when facing an opponent of Ikari's calibre, every second counted.

But apart from this, the Jonin really couldn't complain. After all, a few residual injuries were nothing compared to the shape he'd been in mere hours before, when his comrades had arrived to help him and Asuma fight the Akatsuki. Well he assumed it'd been hours; his brief excursion into Ikari's mind had confused his perception of time somewhat. But the Copy-Ninja had no time to waste trying to gather his temporal bearings. In fact, he was surprised that Ikari Iyoku hadn't shown himself already. Not that Kakashi was complaining about having a few extra minutes to get his act together before the battle. In fact he could use this time to implement one specific jutsu that he would need in order to find out what his enemy was currently capable of – now that his deadliest technique had been thwarted.

However, Kakashi couldn't help but feel that he would have traded this extra time for a few extra weapons right now. Because it hadn't taken him long to realise that no one had thought to replace the katana and kunai that'd been lost in his last battle with Ikari. Which was fair enough, considering he'd been in no position to use either when his friends had arrived. But this was yet another inconvenience that he really could've done without. He sighed internally; perhaps his dad hadn't completely thought this through. After all, on paper, sending your injured, unarmed son back to fight one of his strongest, deadliest ever opponents didn't sound like an entirely brilliant idea. But Kakashi had to give Sakumo at least some credit. The White Fang had managed to break Ikari's most fearsome technique. The Copy-Ninja wasn't the only one fighting with a disadvantage. And as disadvantages went, losing the ability to perform your signature jutsu was a major one.

Then, after a few more moments of much needed recuperation, Kakashi heard footsteps crunching over the leaf-strewn forest floor, just beyond the clearing where he'd ended up. They were still distant, but were getting steadily closer at an uncharacteristically cautious pace. It surprised him that Ikari Iyoku had planned not to make one of his usual overly dramatic entrances. The Copy-Ninja wasn't sure whether to be relieved or even more concerned. But he decided to save this judgement for when that bastard had actually revealed just what he was up to this time.

However, Kakashi soon realised that the footsteps he could hear did not actually belong to Ikari Iyoku at all. In fact, he could now discern four distinct footfalls, as well as four vaguely recognisable chakra signatures. But then all sound suddenly ceased – everything around him fell to a deathly silence. And as the four energy signatures were also suddenly suppressed beyond the limits of detection, the Copy-Ninja knew that he was about to witness that dramatic entrance he'd been expecting.

The Jonin looked around him, and he wasn't even that surprised by the fact that the surrounding landscape had suddenly changed. Where there had once been trees ringing the expansive clearing, there was now simply icy ground stretching out in every direction before blurring seamlessly into the horizon. Far from being an illusion, Kakashi knew exactly what this jutsu was. Ikari Iyoku had erected a barrier around them. It would keep out whomever those footsteps had belonged to, as well as anyone else intending to intrude upon their battle. It was a barrier technique that the Copy-Ninja was quite familiar with. It created an impenetrable bubble that acted like a one-way mirror. Those trapped inside had no awareness of what was happening outside, except for the barrier's creator who could still sense exterior disturbances. While those trapped outside would be able to see everything occurring within and yet would not be able to break through and intervene in the proceedings.

However, a key difference between this and the generic version of such a barrier technique was that it'd been imbued with Ikari's undetectable chakra. This consequently meant that to the squad of Konoha shinobi tracking him, Kakashi would be utterly undetectable. Not that he minded. After all, the Copy-Ninja had always intended to fight this battle alone. And once Ikari Iyoku was dead, the barrier would fall and his friends would be able to sense him – and find his body if nothing else. But Ikari would be dead by the end of this; that was all that mattered.

But just as the enticing prospect of finally slaughtering that murderous bastard began to infiltrate his mind, Kakashi forced himself to remember the promises he'd made to both his father and to Rin. With the final battle so close now, the Copy-Ninja was finding it more and more difficult to prevent the pursuit of vengeance from dominating his heart and taking control of his senses. Although, this vengeful instinct did not have power over his mind just yet. He still intended to give Ikari a final choice first – if ever the opportunity arose for him to do so. It was a choice that he'd been planning on giving the man ever since his son Kitai had been driven to suicide on his behalf. Because the Jonin truly did not feel it overly naive to think that Ikari Iyoku had actually cared for his son. In some distant, twisted way, that man had truly loved his only child. And if this love could finally conquer his desire for vengeance, then the Copy-Ninja knew that Ikari could still be saved. Provided that Kakashi could resist the desire to kill that piece of scum before he got the chance to find out if this theory was correct. And also provided that said scumbag didn't manage to kill him before the choice had even been presented.

Well, only time would tell if this battle could truly be concluded without death. Because regardless of the conclusion, Kakashi knew that there would have to be a battle of sorts first. A conviction that was promptly confirmed as he turned to see Ikari Iyoku walking towards him, his face twisted into a sadistic grin. Kakashi smirked at the man's shameful bravado. That bastard had no reason to be acting complacent. In fact the Jonin could easily tell that that baseless scumbag had only waited before approaching because he himself had also needed some time to recover. After all, the effect of having a part of your mind destroyed was probably not something to be taken lightly. But now that they had both had a chance to recover somewhat, they were finally ready to fight once more. And face each other for the final time.

Kakashi calmly met his opponent's cold, silver eyes. He kept his tone as indifferent as he could. "So you want to finish this just the two of us, Ikari? Well I have no objection to that. But as soon as this barrier of yours crumbles, either by your death or my ability to break through it, the squad of Frost ninja waiting on the other side will become aware of your existence. And you don't have your manipulation jutsu to hide behind anymore. Even if you kill me now, don't think you can survive in this land any longer as a traitor and the last of your disgraced clan."

Ikari gave a soft, clearly derisive chuckle. "Heh, a Hatake speaking to me about disgrace, what a joke! For a revered clan leader, a legend of a shinobi, to be forced by his own village into committing Seppuku. Any shinobi would feel disgrace at the very thought of it. I'm still surprised that you show such blind devotion to that piece of scum you call Father, after all the dishonour that he brought to what was left of your once proud clan."

Kakashi knew that Ikari was trying to goad him into acting recklessly and charging into battle before he'd even figured out how to fight the clan leader, whilst still injured and unarmed. But the Copy-Ninja knew better. He knew that only with a perfectly calculated strategy would he manage to defeat this formidable enemy. And so, as Ikari Iyoku drew his katana – while the man's other blade, which in this reality was in fact the one he'd stolen from Kakashi, remained sheathed for now – the Jonin tried to stay calm and picture each possible move that his opponent could make, and exactly how to counter them without lowering his defences.

Although unfortunately, it appeared that unlike Kakashi himself, Ikari was no longer wounded from their last encounter. And the Jonin had a sneaking suspicion that using the chakra link between them, that shameless bastard had managed to siphon Sakura's healing energy and had used it to treat his own injuries – consequently limiting the effectiveness that the kunoichi's medical ninjutsu had had on Kakashi; which was yet another reason why this healing seemed so below Sakura's normal standards. But regardless of the state that he was currently in, Kakashi had no intention of going down without a fight. And, as he'd already established, he wasn't going to fight until he had a plan.

But as Ikari Iyoku suddenly lunged towards him – not even giving Kakashi a chance to verbally respond to the man's taunts – the Jonin found his time to plan rather promptly cut short. And he couldn't afford to just stand there thinking while his enemy attacked. So, satisfied that Asuma's chakra boosters had sufficiently replenished his energy levels, Kakashi quickly created a shadow clone, while he himself hid underground. He knew that he'd timed his moves so perfectly that there was no way the switch could have been visually detected. Especially as his opponent's focus would now be centred on the fact that the clone had easily managed to dodge his katana's strike.

Of course there was another purpose to this complicated manoeuvre beyond simply avoiding his enemy's blade. Kakashi wanted to confirm whether Ikari's loss of his mind techniques had also affected his sensory abilities. And so, as his kage-bunshin wrapped one hand immovably about the shaft of the Iyoku's weapon, Kakashi reappeared from underground directly behind his opponent. In less than a heartbeat, the Copy-Ninja had grabbed the hilt of his own katana, which still hung at Ikari's side, and pulled it from its sheath before resting it against the man's throat.

But as soon as the metal came into contact with Ikari's skin, Kakashi heard a soft click followed by a sudden hiss that almost immediately faded into silence. That was all the warning he got before the man standing in front of him promptly exploded, and Kakashi found himself cursing his former complacency even as the shockwave propelled him across the clearing, while his clone abruptly dissipated. But having reacted when he did, the Jonin had still managed to escape from the primary danger, which was the inferno that this blast had generated. The flames exploded outwards, releasing their energy into the surrounding land before dying almost as quickly as they'd formed, while fortunately Kakashi had already managed to pass beyond their range.

However, annoyingly, the force of the technique hadn't allowed the Copy-Ninja much time to prepare his body for a graceful landing. He managed to remain on his feet easily enough, but could only absorb the smallest amount of the shock as his legs impacted with the ground. And before the extent of his misjudgement had even truly registered, the Jonin heard a distinct popping sound, which he instinctively knew was the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee tearing. He would have cursed aloud, had the sudden debilitating wave of agony shooting through his joint not rendered him momentarily speechless. Of course his right leg was now no longer able to support his weight, and so he promptly fell to the ground – wishing that he hadn't even bothered trying to land on his feet in the first place.

Naturally, Ikari Iyoku laughed and paced casually over to where Kakashi lay glaring at him. The Jonin tried desperately to remain alert as pain threatened to steal his consciousness. The clan leader then bent down and picked up Kakashi's katana, which had fallen from his hand. The same katana that he'd risked this injury to retrieve in the first place. The Copy-Ninja growled at the thought of that scumbag wielding his own blade against him once more. But at least this latest inconvenience, as well as the information he'd absorbed from his doppelganger, had confirmed that, unfortunately, Ikari's sensory abilities had not been affected by his mental defeat. The man had never been fooled by his clone; he'd merely been allowing Kakashi to sustain an extra injury before their battle had even properly started.

However, the other test of the man's current abilities, which the Copy-Ninja had prepared before Ikari had even shown up, had yielded somewhat more optimistic results. He hadn't wanted to show his hand this early on. He'd wanted to wait for a moment in which his enemy was more vulnerable, before using his next move to surprise and further disadvantage the Iyoku. But the Jonin knew that right now his viciously throbbing leg was not going to support even the slightest amount of his weight, and so he had little choice but to play this card.

With a small sigh, Kakashi released the genjutsu that he'd set up before the battle had started – even though he hadn't managed to complete it before Ikari had implemented his barrier jutsu. The Jonin had been using this technique to test Ikari Iyoku's current susceptibility to illusions. And this particular illusion was one that the caster had to enter himself, in order to fully isolate the reality created. Which was why he'd truly felt the injury he'd just received, and why he couldn't have avoided the incapacitation that it would've caused. Thus Kakashi now had no choice but to end this technique, even though the opening he'd been waiting for to attack Ikari in the real world hadn't yet been properly created. He'd wanted to wait until he'd weakened the man a bit first. But the situation was what it was, and he'd just have to respond to this inconvenient turn of events accordingly.

As he released the jutsu, the Copy-Ninja made sure that he took advantage of his enemy's momentary inaction. He quickly used a body-flicker technique to teleport in directly behind Ikari Iyoku. He then wrapped one hand around his own katana, which hung at the man's side – exactly as it had in the illusion – and swiftly brought the weapon back into his possession before his enemy had fully returned to reality. Meaning that even though his plan hadn't gone perfectly so far, at least Kakashi had managed to even out the playing field a bit. And by the time Ikari had been completely freed from the technique, the Copy-Ninja stood facing him, sword in hand, meeting that man's livid stare with his own unflinching gaze.

The Iyoku quickly composed himself and Kakashi let him speak first, knowing that Ikari was about to undermine the fact that a point had already been scored against him. Well he'd let the man talk, it'd give him a little longer to plan his next move.

"The Copy-Ninja is a fitting alias, Hatake. It seems that your greatest weapon truly is your pathetic imitations of your enemies' techniques. But you of all people should know; a ninja is someone who cultivates, crafts and ultimately wields ninjutsu. Not someone who mimics it like an animal."

Kakashi smirked. "I feel flattered, Ikari, that in your eyes the genjutsu I just used is comparable to your own inimitable technique. When in fact it was nothing more than the most basic of illusions, one not even worth copying, but one that you fell for nonetheless."

This blatant insult caused Ikari to glare at him once more, and Kakashi only shrugged as he continued. "And as for a ninja being one who cultivates and invents ninjutsu, well, that notion is just ridiculous. Shinobi are taught ancient and sacred techniques from their Masters and their fellow ninja. I know of very few shinobi to have ever created their own techniques. Admittedly, these are some of the greatest shinobi in history – and admittedly also, I am one of them. As a ninja, ninjutsu is my tool. And I have thousands of tools at my disposal, all of which have – I confess – been copied from my enemies. But like I said, these are merely tools of my trade, allowing me to adapt and fight almost any adversary. My own original techniques on the other hand, are more than just weapons. They represent years of training, of dedication and devotion to the shinobi world and to the protection of Konoha and its citizens. Those are the techniques that define me, and the ones that I will always rely on when all other plans have failed."

All throughout this speech, a smirk had been slowly spreading over Ikari Iyoku's lips. The insatiable hunger, which had always rested somewhere deep within those mesmerising silver eyes, had now risen to the surface of the madman's gaze. His enemy was planning something; that much was quite blatantly obvious. But Kakashi was planning something too. And clearly whoever implemented their plan first would gain the upper hand. But even as the Jonin used his Sharingan to begin searching for what he needed, Ikari Iyoku – predicting his actions – began to make a move of his own that would counter Kakashi's intentions.

The Copy-Ninja was looking for the one fault-line in his enemy's technique. The area that, when targeted, would cause the entire barrier to collapse in on itself – thus allowing reinforcements to enter. But at the same time, Ikari was also trying to detect the weak point in his jutsu. However, he was not doing this for the purpose of fixing it, as a barrier technique cannot so easily be strengthened after it has been completed. No, Kakashi knew that instead, Ikari intended to imbue that area with as much explosive chakra as he could, so that if it was indeed destroyed and the barrier collapsed it would not only take out the ninja trapped on the other side, but would almost certainly injure Kakashi as well. Because that bastard also knew his weak point. He knew that immediately after using the Mangekyo, Kakashi was momentarily vulnerable to attack. And that was why the Jonin had to act now, to limit the size of the ensuing explosion, and thus make the next stage of his plan more feasible. And so Kakashi locked onto the fault in the barrier that only a possessor of dojutsu, or the technique's creator could detect. He then activated his Mangekyo Sharingan and steeled himself for two successive moves that were about to take a hell of a lot out of him.

First he used Kamui to cause this one weakest area of the surrounding chakra dome to dissolve. But he didn't wait for conformation that it had triggered the chain reaction he'd been hoping for. Because just as he'd predicted, the moment his jutsu came into effect, he felt Ikari's chakra now mere moments away from exploding. But before this could happen, Kakashi activated his most powerful technique for a second time, and thus was able to transport the blast to another dimension before it could cause any damage. However, quite predictably, the clan leader was ready to take advantage of the momentary incapacitation that Kakashi had suffered after performing this technique. The incapacitation that, this time around, had been worsened considerably by the fact that he'd just used the jutsu twice in a row.

Ikari teleported in directly in front of him, ready to strike while Kakashi was at his weakest. It was all the Copy-Ninja could do not to let his katana fall from his hand as he went to block the Iyoku's blade. But even though he managed to keep hold of his sword, he knew that his body hadn't been able to react fast enough. The split second he had would not be enough now to prevent Ikari's katana from meeting its mark. Hell, Kakashi could barely even move his body fast enough right now to divert the strike to a less damaging area. And all of this, he knew, the Iyoku had taken into account.

But then, something happened that clearly his opponent hadn't predicted, but that Kakashi had been counting on ever since he'd felt those four familiar energy signatures that'd since been trapped outside the barrier. Just as he felt the tip of Ikari's blade brush against the surface of his skin, the katana's path was suddenly halted. The Copy-Ninja looked up to see the Iyoku's arm stilled by the firm hand of Captain Haaku; one of the four Frost ninja whom he'd incapacitated over a day ago. And the rest of the patrol squad was with him; clearly having tracked Kakashi ever since they'd all awoken – and having found him as soon as the White Fang's jutsu had sent him back to this land.

Of course the Copy-Ninja was pleased that they'd just saved his life, as had been the objective of this plan from the start. But he knew that he'd soon regret having dragged four others into this. Because as capable as these shinobi were, Kakashi himself had managed to defeat them all whilst injured and resisting the effects of Ikari's jutsu. They didn't stand a chance against the leader of the Iyoku Clan. And the Copy-Ninja didn't want to end up trying to fight Ikari whilst also trying to keep these innocent ninja from being slaughtered. Because – knowing that Kakashi's natural instinct would be to protect those willing to fight alongside him – Ikari was surely going to endanger those ninja's lives as often and as brazenly as he could.

And now that they were here, Kakashi also knew that the Frost ninja would have their own issues to raise with Ikari Iyoku. After all, he was the renowned traitor, villain and legendary ninja whom above all others would never be forgotten by the Land of Frost. And so, now that he'd had a few extra moments to regain full mobility, the Copy-Ninja took a step back and allowed the Frost cell to stand between him and Ikari Iyoku. That villain wouldn't kill them straight away, he'd probably let them think that they had control of the situation first. It was with this knowledge that Kakashi was content to let things play out as Ikari expected them to. The Jonin would wait to dispatch that scumbag until after the patrol squad had finished their confrontation. This would allow more time for his chakra to replenish itself, and also ensure that the Frost ninja collected enough evidence of Ikari Iyoku's crimes to corroborate Kakashi's story. Because the last thing he needed after all this was to start a quarrel between Konoha and Frost if they decided not to accept his reasons for infiltrating their land and incapacitating one of their patrol squads. After all, without others to back up his claims, the notion that he'd come there to fight a man whom the entire land believed had committed suicide eleven years ago was somewhat farfetched. And in the worst case scenario, the Frost leaders might even think it to be lies proliferated by Konoha in order to undermine their authority and potentially threaten their alliance.

And so Kakashi simply stood there trying to catch his breath and listening to Haaku's firm voice as the domineering shinobi addressed the man whom – along with the likes of the White Fang and the Copy-Ninja himself – every Frost ninja had been taught to fear.

"It would appear that your dishonour truly does know no bounds, Ikari Iyoku. Your death was wishful thinking it would seem, when in fact you've clearly just been biding your time, waiting for an opportunity to plague this land once more. Well, this time around, do not think that you can escape. And I doubt that our leaders will see fit to show you any mercy either."

The complacent smirk that'd stretched across Ikari's lips the moment he'd recognised these four shinobi now only widened. He met Haaku's gaze but at the same time seemed to look right through him; as though he were still only addressing Kakashi.

His voice held the slightest touch of amusement. "Ah, how you've grown Haaku. Once again reminding me why I always regretted that you were not of Iyoku blood. Well, I must say I'm pleased that even now the name I made for myself has not been forgotten. Although, the four of you so piteously patriotic shinobi have no part to play in this battle of vengeance. So instead, you will now watch as the Copy-Ninja dies slowly and painfully, and then you will spread the message all through this painfully misguided country. You will tell them that a true hero has returned to the Land of Frost, a man powerful enough to bring our leaders to their knees. A man whom all will learn to fear and to respect."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. He knew that Ikari couldn't possibly be this delusional. He could no longer hold sway over an entire country; not without his mind jutsu. Sakumo Hatake had made quite sure of that. And yet here he was posturing with the ridiculous claim that he could have the entire land eating out of his palm anytime now that he had returned, and once Kakashi was out of the way. But it didn't take very long for the Copy-Ninja to figure out just what Ikari was planning. Not that there was anything he could do to stop it. No, it was already too late.

In response to the Iyoku's unbelievable statement, each of the four Frost ninja's chakra had fluctuated very slightly in a moment of shock. Normally this would have been of no consequence, other than to alert the enemy to the fact that their taunts had worked. But in this case, there was a sensory type in the group, the kunoichi Tsume. And with his own natural abilities, there was no way that Ikari Iyoku could have failed to notice this. While Kakashi himself had only just realised the significance of this fact. But once again, it was too late to do anything other than curse the Iyoku for his flawless preparation.

Ikari was planning to take advantage of Tsume's chakra fluctuation. Because this flow of energy was the closest approximation that the clan leader could elicit to the sensory type wilfully sending out a spike of her chakra in order to probe any threat in the immediate environment. As she would never have needed to actually probe Ikari's energy from this proximity. Unlike Rin eleven years ago when Ikari had been attempting to conceal himself from them. And once again Kakashi cursed the fact that he hadn't realised straight away that this would be the Iyoku's inevitable course of action. Naturally he couldn't feel the transfer occurring, but the Jonin knew that even now, his enemy was latching onto the chakra of that innocent Frost kunoichi and using the brief fluctuation of her energy to send his own deadly life force into her body. And Kakashi also knew that this was only the first stage in that bastard's plan to turn the battle back to his favour.

Sure enough, a moment later, Tsume's sinuous form went limp and she fell to the ground unconscious. She was already beyond saving; the Jonin knew this for a fact. And he was thankful that this particular technique only worked on those with the specialised Keirakukei possessed by all sensory types. But even without being able to dispatch the rest of them directly, Ikari Iyoku had created the distraction he needed. And even knowing the sequence of events that was about to unfold, Kakashi could once again do nothing to prevent it.

The remaining three members of the Frost tracker squad – Haaku, Hirate the young medic, and the gargantuan shinobi Kobushi – all looked towards where their comrade had just fallen to the ground. As soon as each had momentarily lowered their guard, Ikari moved on to the next perfectly calculated stage of his plan. He initiated his other signature technique, preparing to set off yet another of those damnable explosions. Of course, Kakashi had been anticipating the blast and was fully prepared to distance himself from it. However, the other four had dropped their guard and wouldn't be able to avoid the jutsu in time. And in all likelihood, they would be killed by it. After all, Ikari had only allowed them to get this close so that at the right moment he could kill them while they were unprepared to defend themselves.

The bastard clearly thought that this move would have left Kakashi with no option other than to save those four shinobi with his Mangekyo – effectively incapacitating himself in the process. But the fact that he would be virtually helpless after performing the technique for a third time would mean that he'd no longer be able to defend the tracker squad and so they'd likely end up dead anyway. Especially if they decided to try and fight Ikari on their own. But not using the Mangekyo would surely lead to those shinobi's immediate deaths as well. And so neither option was brilliant.

However, there was one other possible course of action; the only one that if he pulled it off correctly might just keep them all alive a little longer. And in the split second that he had, this was the option that Kakashi finally decided he had to take. He formed signs faster than the flames of Ikari's jutsu could expand – praying that with the injuries his right hand had sustained, this speed would be sufficient – before slamming his palms into the ground. Then, a moment later, a gigantic chasm opened up between himself and Ikari, and the four Frost ninja plummeted down into the abyss only to land unharmed on the soft earth countless metres below. And as they fell, the roof of the chasm sealed above them. There would be enough air inside to last as long as necessary, but the unyielding, chakra-infused rock would not allow them to break through and rejoin the fight. However, it would allow them to escape from the explosion unscathed, while the very flames that would surely have killed them were now rolling towards Kakashi instead.

He didn't have time to sufficiently distance himself from the blast, and he knew it. Instead he was forced to shield himself from the inferno using his arms while he tried to jump out of reach. But at the same time, the shockwave accompanying the explosion propelled him backwards across the clearing. And Kakashi resolved not to make the same mistake as he had in his genjutsu. He made sure to properly absorb the impact of landing, and tried his best to remain steady as his feet hit the ground.

Although, as he straightened up he could immediately tell that he hadn't been able to avoid all of the jutsu's destructive energy. In fact Kakashi could already feel the blood rolling steadily down his arms; which at least was preferable to what would have happened if he hadn't managed to shield himself in time. And a major bonus was that he hadn't expended all of his chakra, and that the Frost ninja were still alive. Well, three of them were alive, Tsume wouldn't last much longer. But if nothing else, her death would be proof of Ikari Iyoku's return and the remorseless brutality that he was capable of. Unlike the last time that the Iyoku had used this technique against an innocent shinobi, this time he wouldn't get away with it. Yes, this time around things would be different. He would defeat Ikari Iyoku with enough proof to show the world the true extent of that bastard's villainy.

But Kakashi also knew that the moment he allowed his mind to become truly possessed by the idea of revenge, this battle would be as good as lost. After all, Ikari Iyoku's lust for vengeance would always be stronger than any equivalent sentiment that the Copy-Ninja could allow himself to have. And because he couldn't beat this enemy through revenge, he would instead have to do the opposite. He would just have to defeat Ikari Iyoku through forgiveness, and use one final act of mercy to stop that bastard once and for all. Because the only way that Kakashi could keep his last promise to Rin right now was if he gave his enemy one final chance to surrender, and be fully prepared to walk away if he said yes. But the only way that the Copy-Ninja could do this was if he showed Ikari the one thing that the man most needed to see. And the time had not yet come for him to do that. Until the right moment finally presented itself, the Jonin would have to continue attempting to prevent his foe from achieving the revenge that he so desperately sought.

As Ikari Iyoku materialised before him, the Copy-Ninja was sharply reminded that this would not be an easy task. The man's blade was already poised to strike. But as Kakashi raised his own weapon to stop the attack, a breathtaking wave of agony suddenly shot through both his arms. The Jonin just managed to deflect his enemy's katana, but the sensation of his skin being brutally clawed from his bones refused to abate, and the Copy-Ninja quickly realised that the explosion must have been more damaging than he'd first thought. The burns running up and down his arms continued to radiate agony; becoming increasingly intolerable. However, Kakashi's movements were technically not being restricted, as no bones were actually broken. Things were not as bad as they could easily have been, but as the Jonin felt the relentless pain of his newest injuries begin to dull his senses, he realised that things were not particularly good either. Especially as even now, Ikari was readying his blade for another strike.

And this time, Kakashi knew that he was going to be too slow. In his increasingly clouded frame of mind, there was just no way that he could get his body to react fast enough. From this position all he could do was twist himself so that Ikari's katana just missed a vital spot. However it still pierced the right side of his chest, whereas Kakashi knew that his enemy had been targeting his heart. But even though this wound wasn't instantly fatal, it was no trivial injury. The Copy-Ninja could taste the sharp, coppery tang of blood as it rose in his throat. For a moment, pain overcame his senses. And a moment was all Ikari Iyoku needed.

As Kakashi's vision faded and his katana fell from his hand – leaving him wondering if he might have underestimated the severity of his injury somewhat – Ikari launched into action once more. He pulled loose his sword, while the Copy-Ninja himself sank to the ground. And the man didn't even waste any time adding to Kakashi's discomfort by twisting his blade as he withdrew it. No, this was his one opportunity to end this fight once and for all – his one chance to have his precious revenge. He was clearly not going to let that go to waste. While in the meantime, Kakashi was struggling to even remain conscious, let alone dodge the attack.

A second later, that would-be final blow came. However, it was also in this second that the Jonin finally managed to regain control of his unresponsive body. And so, Kakashi initiated the final gambit that would decide whether or not Ikari Iyoku was beyond redemption, and whether or not they might both still escape from this vengeful trap alive. Before the sword could sink its lethal edge into Kakashi's body, the Jonin managed to finally reach into the inside pocket of his flak jacket. And then, just before Ikari's katana met its mark, the Copy-Ninja withdrew the item that he'd always hoped would save both their lives in the end. He used it to block the blade. Yes, finally the time had come to use Kitai Iyoku's headband against the boy's increasingly irredeemable father.

Ikari's eyes widened as instantly he recognised the object that Kakashi was holding. That vital object that the Jonin had ordered Guy to retrieve all the way back at the start of this fateful mission. Because the Copy-Ninja had known from the beginning that he would need this in the end. Ever since he'd realised just who Kitai Iyoku's father must have been, he had known that this time would come. And that when it did, he would need this one surviving remnant of his enemy's son in order to prevent them both from falling prey to revenge's bitter curse. And that only then would he be able to keep his promise to Rin, whilst going after the deplorable bastard who'd murdered her simply to lure him into battle eleven years ago. Forgiving this unforgivable man would be the Jonin's final challenge in this cruel joke of an assignment. Because forgiving Ikari was precisely what he had to do, both for Rin and for his father, and in the end, for himself as well.

As he felt the resistance of his enemy's blade lessen ever so slightly, the Copy-Ninja knew that this was his only chance. Using Ikari's hesitation to his advantage, Kakashi rolled out of the way of the man's poised sword. Ignoring the pain that was by now permeating through every inch of his body, the Jonin then rose to his feet, still holding Kitai's battered headband in his hand. The explosion that'd killed the young clan leader had left the object more or less intact – although the majority of the cloth had been burnt away. However, the metal still remained; stained with Kitai's blood, and now also with Kakashi's own. But the Copy-Ninja felt confident that what was left would be sufficient for him to implement his final plan.

He held the object up for Ikari to see clearly and then, after a few moments, he began to speak – trying to keep every long-suppressed emotion that this mission had unearthed from entering his voice.

"You see this, Ikari? This headband is all that's left of your son. It symbolises his feigned allegiance to the land that you have failed to conquer. It's no concern of mine who has power in this country, the Iyoku Clan – well that is to say yourself – or the current leaders. But since you've dragged me into this mess – or rather I've allowed myself to be dragged in – I am now in the position to give you one last choice. And whether this story of vengeance ends right here is entirely up to you. No more blood needs to be spilt on your account and on the account of the revenge that you and I both seek."

The Copy-Ninja was admittedly surprised that Ikari hadn't interrupted him. The Iyoku hadn't sneered at his words nor attempted to contradict his sentiments. No, oddly enough Kakashi found his murderous enemy listening quietly, while all that was left of his son hung between them. And before the clan leader could get over his moment of uncharacteristic silence, Kakashi continued.

"Before your son died Ikari, he entrusted me with these words: 'I see now that there is no honour in revenge'. Through this, he showed me that the curse of the Iyoku Clan could be overcome by those genuinely willing to break free of it. And since these words were given to me, I have kept them as I have kept Kitai's headband, so that I could eventually give them to you – as proof of how your son truly died, and how futile your pursuit of vengeance has been."

With this, Ikari instantly returned from his reverie of speechlessness. "What you have said, Copy-Ninja, proves nothing of Kitai's heart. All you have is proof that you shamelessly collected a token of his death, and that you wished to disguise your own pathetic sentiments as his."

Kakashi sighed, he'd known that being believed wouldn't have been so easy. He met Ikari's eyes, hoping that the man could discern through his gaze that he was telling the truth. The Iyoku's own eyes narrowed as he clearly struggled to refute the Copy-Ninja's sincerity. And so the Jonin went on.

"I would've hoped that you, as a father, might've been able to learn from the mistakes of your son – and from his last dying realisation. But in order to trust his words, you will first need to trust mine. Everything that I have told you is true, Ikari. But don't think I would have gone to all this trouble if I hadn't found a way to prove it."

Ikari's eyes narrowed further and Kakashi gave a grim smile as he went on. "Even though my father has defeated your genjutsu, I now understand your technique and I know that my plan will work. I am talking about your clan marking jutsu; the deplorable technique that you used to brand your comrades and your own family in order to bend them to your will. It has already been proven with Tei Iyoku that your jutsu transcends death. And so I have brought you this last piece of your son, stained with his blood – the same blood that you linked to your Chakra Network in order to control him, and in order to use him to control the remainder of your clan. So right now, what I propose is this. Take Kitai's headband and use that link to see for yourself exactly what happened that night. The night that your entire clan died in an attempt to complete the fatal mission that you assigned them. That mission of vengeance and glory, where you would have sacrificed any one of their lives in order to bring me down and cement your own rise to power. Well, now I will give you a chance to see what really happened. Of course I don't have to do this. Because if I kill you here, no one would feel any need to avenge your death. But to honour the memory of a woman I once loved – the same woman whose life you so callously took – I'm giving you this final choice. Take this headband, see the truth, and choose to abandon your quest for vengeance. Or refuse and try to kill me, and I'll fight you with all the strength I have left. But it doesn't have to be that way. Neither of us has to die here."

Ikari glared at him, and for a moment Kakashi was sure that he was going to attack. The Jonin knew that he'd made an impressive speech, but right now he was in bad shape and if Ikari truly did want to continue this battle then he doubted that he'd be able to defend himself for much longer. But just as the Copy-Ninja began to ready himself for launching back into a level of combat that he almost certainly couldn't sustain right now, the waves of killing intent radiating from his enemy abruptly ceased. And in what seemed like the outcome of some gruelling internal struggle, Ikari reluctantly stretched out one hand. Then slowly, so as not to intimidate the man out of his concessionary gesture, Kakashi reached out his arm and placed Kitai Iyoku's headband into Ikari's palm. The Iyoku's fist closed around the object and he gradually shut his eyes. Then, a look of almost painful concentration settled onto the man's misleadingly youthful face. The Copy-Ninja wondered for a moment what had made his enemy finally decide to trust him. After all, if he really wanted to, the Jonin could kill that bastard right now, while his guard was down. He could end this fight just that little bit sooner. But he wasn't going to do that. No, after coming this far, Kakashi couldn't afford to give in to the temptations of revenge, and perhaps Ikari Iyoku knew that.

Well, either way, as his enemy relived the death of his only child, the Copy-Ninja stood and watched in silence, observing the inscrutable emotions passing over the Iyoku's face. At first Ikari made almost no discernable response to his experience, but gradually as the memory went on, Kakashi could sense the man struggling to hide his grief and disgust as he watched his son prepare to commit suicide over an impossible task that he himself had assigned the boy. And the Jonin knew that somewhere deep inside Ikari Iyoku, there was something vital shattering. Perhaps he was finally beginning to question his devotion to revenge, the very force that had given him so much of his power. But Kakashi could also tell that, trapped within this torturous recollection, the part of Ikari's soul still dedicated to malevolence and cruelty was continuing to deny his own culpability. It was feeding him strength in the form of rage as he relived his son's death. And if this part of Ikari Iyoku was allowed to take over, Kakashi knew that they would both be in serious trouble.

But right now there was nothing that he could do but watch. Not knowing how the man would react to being shown the truth, he couldn't afford to take his eyes off him for even one moment. Not even to check his latest injury as he felt himself losing more and more blood by the second. Because as soon as the memory came to an end, he had to be ready to deal with the possibility that Ikari's vengeance had conquered all internal resistance. And if this had happened, then the state Kakashi was in right now would seem like nothing compared to the cost of fighting that man's uninhibited wrath. And so, as Ikari's eyes snapped open, the Copy-Ninja could only pray that forgiveness had triumphed over his lust for revenge.

The Iyoku's silver gaze was entirely unreadable. However, this was not because his emotions were being carefully veiled. No, quite the opposite. One moment the man's eyes shone with horror and genuine remorse, while the next they were filled with fury and unbridled contempt. Clearly this revelation had caused some sort of mental shockwave to pass through the clan leader, sending his mind into a self-destructive spiral of emotional chaos. And a part of Kakashi had known that it might come to this. After all, even now that his genjutsu had been defeated, the part of Ikari's mind that was devoted solely to the manipulation of reality was still intact. It was now defunct when it came to controlling others, but the Copy-Ninja had long since surmised that a vital part of wielding the Iyoku genjutsu – one of the deadliest illusions that he had ever encountered – was maintaining control of oneself. And right now it was clear that Ikari Iyoku's cast-iron control was slipping. And, torn between grief, shame and an indomitable longing for revenge, what was left of his sanity was clearly slipping as well.

Ikari's gaze was now unfocussed, while emotions continued to play across his face. And as Kakashi's Sharingan saw the man's chakra begin to stir within him, the Jonin knew that his enemy was about to lose control completely. He also knew that he had to do something about it, before it was too late. Kakashi stepped forwards and placed his hands firmly on Ikari's shoulders before looking the man directly in the eye. And the Jonin had to keep himself from instinctively recoiling as he stood so close to the villain who for so long had been hell-bent on slaughtering him. But Kakashi knew that the risk of him dying would be a lot greater if he didn't try to do this right now. So he forced his voice to remain steady as he entreated his enemy to see reason.

"Ikari, please listen to me. I know you don't want to die. You've seen the truth now. You know there's no need to keep fighting. So try to understand what Kitai finally understood, and for your son's sake just pull yourself together."

Kakashi had no choice but to believe that Ikari could overcome the hatred that'd shaped him into the callous murderer that he was today. He had to believe that his old enemy was stronger than that. Stronger than the hate that'd driven him to fight the rulers of his land with manipulation and deceit, and the hate that'd led him to seek out the White Fang in order to destroy him for the pursuit of power and glory, and failing that, to bring down Kakashi instead – as soon as the opportunity had presented itself. He wanted to believe that Ikari could overcome all that, but deep down the Copy-Ninja knew just how preposterous this notion was. Eleven years ago the man had split his physical body in two in order to cheat death – while staying alive by drawing energy from his clan members through his horrendous marking jutsu. But now it was his mind that had been torn in two. Kakashi had genuinely hoped that this wouldn't have ended up happening. But it had. And right now, all he could do was wait and see which half of the Iyoku's mind would be strongest. Because it would be this that would decide Ikari's next actions.

Kakashi tried to look deep into the man's tortured gaze, to appeal to the side of him that he knew was buried somewhere beyond the curse of vengeance. But he could no longer find the humanity that he sought. The man that Ikari Iyoku had once been, the man capable of things such as love and forgiveness was dead; now there was only the heartless monster that he'd allowed himself to become.

The Copy-Ninja then removed his hands from Ikari's shoulders and he staggered back as the pain in his chest suddenly intensified. He cursed aloud at the timing of this unwarranted complication. Right now, more than ever, he needed to concentrate. He had to somehow diffuse the Iyoku's final attempt at claiming the vengeance that'd ultimately brought him past the point of redemption. And Kakashi knew that there was only one way left to do it.

As he activated his Mangekyo Sharingan for a third time, Ikari met his gaze. The man's eyes were momentarily free from the madness that'd prompted his most demonic and murderous acts. For a second, all that Kakashi could see within those metallic orbs was pure desperation. And this desperation infiltrated every aspect of Ikari's normally controlled voice as he swallowed his pride and whispered one simple plea.

"Kakashi… Help me!"

But it was too late. All of Ikari's energy and all of his chakra had been siphoned into this final unpreventable act. There was no way left to save him, Kakashi could now only save himself – and the Frost ninja who would have to be freed from his earth jutsu now that the Jonin could no longer spare any chakra to maintain it. Because unless the Copy-Ninja channelled all of the energy that he had left into his Mangekyo Sharingan, they would all die in the ensuing explosion. But this act alone might also easily be enough to kill him. However, it was more than just his own life at risk right now. And in fact it wasn't just the squad of Frost ninja either. With all of Ikari's life force being drawn into the blast, there was no telling just how powerful it would be. If he failed to stop the explosion, all of the energy that this formidable shinobi possessed might just be enough to wipe half the country off the map. The time for thinking was over. Kakashi had to act now.

With all the strength he could muster, the Jonin activated his Kamui; even as he felt Ikari's raw life force finally come together and then suddenly release in what would have been an earth-shattering explosion. Kakashi then felt his energy being forcibly ripped from his body as he struggled to absorb this unbelievable jutsu and send it to another dimension.

"Shit!" the curse was pulled from his throat as he felt exhaustion trying to steal away his consciousness. But his task was not yet done, and so Kakashi clung desperately to the world of the living, as he fought to resist the incomparable power of Ikari's final involuntary technique.

But then, the Copy-Ninja felt his breath catch as a sudden agonising pain exploded in his head. That was how he knew it was over. No longer in control of his body, Kakashi collapsed onto the icy floor of the forest clearing, while in front of him Ikari Iyoku did the same. By all rights the man should have been dead before he hit the ground, and Kakashi knew that he shouldn't have been far behind. But as he looked over at his old enemy he saw the last vestiges of consciousness still lingering in the man's now muted gaze.

And with the strength that he had left, Kakashi decided to ask Ikari one final question. Because ever since the man had conquered his hatred and mistrust for that single moment and taken the headband from his hand, the Copy-Ninja had wondered how he'd managed to do it, and more importantly, why. The Ikari Iyoku whom he'd come to know would never have missed an opportunity to gain the upper hand. But the clan leader had decided to trust him instead. And the more he thought about it, the more he wondered just how that murderer could have brought himself to show such concession.

Kakashi couldn't push his voice any higher than a breathless whisper, but lying next to Ikari Iyoku he knew that the man would hear him. "Ikari… why did you trust me… back then?"

The Iyoku met his gaze one last time, and even without his Sharingan, Kakashi could feel all remaining life leaving the man's body as he uttered his final words.

His voice was even softer than Kakashi's had been, and the harsh undertone that it'd always carried had somehow been lost. "It wasn't you that I trusted, Copy-Ninja… it was hearing the words of my son. I tried to deny it… but I could tell. 'I see now that there is no honour in revenge' … only Kitai could have said that. And besides, there was one more thing… that let me know beyond doubt… you spoke the truth. It was only in that moment that I truly noticed…" Kakashi then suppressed a shudder as something sickeningly close to compassion found its way onto Ikari's cold, pale face. The man smiled, "you have your father's eyes. The unmistakable… irrefutable gaze… of an honourable Hatake. In the end… not even I could question it."

As he said this, Ikari's own eyes slowly closed, while his right hand found Kitai's headband once more, and he lifted it from the ground. The Iyoku then clutched this last remnant of his son; holding it to his chest, as a single tear seeped out from behind his already closed lids. After everything he'd done, it seemed that the clan leader truly had loved the boy whom he'd mercilessly turned into a weapon of revenge. The same boy who had finally taught him that only evil and pain could ever come from pursuing vengeance. And so it was thus that Ikari Iyoku passed from life – with one last genuine smile fixed forever onto his scarred yet somehow still youthful face. While Kakashi himself was left to wonder whether he too would now leave this world for good. But he truly couldn't bring himself to care either way. After all, life and death were less important now. Finally he had managed to keep his promise to Rin. And if it was his fate to meet her again now, then it would be with one less regret lingering in his heart.

Just as his vision began to fade, the Copy-Ninja noticed a solitary cloud floating steadily through the pale sky. With relentless determination it carved out a path from east to west, gradually reddening under the influence of this exertion. But this wasn't what the Jonin was looking at. There was something else. Something that had caught his eye in the distance. And recognising what it was, Kakashi gave a small smile. But after that, he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. Not that it mattered. After all, his mission was complete; there would be no more revenge. And for now there would be no more fighting either. Instead there was only the waiting darkness and the security of oblivion. And so, as the freezing ground slowly numbed his aching body, the Copy-Ninja allowed his mind to pass on to a more peaceful place. Soon he would be in the company of his old friends once more.


	20. Reunions

Chapter 20

Reunions

Darkness…

Silence…

Cold…

Was this death?

No.

Life.

…

Darkness…

Cold…

Voices…?

…

"Over there!"

"Is he breathing?"

"Who the hell is that?"

"That one's definitely dead."

"I said, is he breathing?"

"I… I'm not sure…"

"Damn it!"

"Wait, what's that?"

"What's what?"

"Look."

"What the…"

"Who are they?"

"Frost ninja – evidently."

"Are they allied with the enemy?"

"No… I don't think so."

"They're coming."

"Weapons?"

"No. I'll go."

…

"And so, essentially, that's what happened."

"Anything else?"

"No. That's all we know."

"Fine then."

"Is he going to be okay?"

"I… don't know."

"Alright, well you can leave the other one to us."

…

Fading…

Darkness…

Cold…

…

"It's not working!"

"Shit…"

"We're losing him!"

…

Silence…

Cold…

Darkness…

…

"Come on kid!"

"Sensei!"

"Senpai!"

"Rival!"

"Kakashi!"

…

Fading…

Darkness…

Nothing.

* * *

Kakashi Hatake – Ikari couldn't help but wonder whether that man had followed him into the afterlife. If that was indeed where he'd ended up. After all, the Iyoku currently had no comprehension of his surroundings. The only thing he knew for sure was that right now, his old enemy was nowhere to be seen. Although it appeared that someone else had come to greet him. Someone that he hadn't spoken to for eleven years.

Ikari met the young man's pale eyes. "Watching, were you, Boy?"

Those pale eyes turned to the floor. "Yes, I saw everything. I'm so sorry, my Lord."

For a moment Ikari was silent, taking in the boy's appearance. It seemed that he was closer to a man now. And slowly the Iyoku shook his head. "No Son, you are wrong to apologise."

Kitai's eyes remained fixed on the colourless, indistinct ground beneath them. "Forgive me."

The elder clan leader sighed. "I told you, there is nothing to forgive. You were simply following orders. Even after you realised how hollow, how utterly senseless those orders were, you still tried to carry out your mission. I assume you know by now that it was I who gave you that mission. That I planted it in your mind. If you truly have seen everything, you should at least have realised that much."

The young man nodded his head, and a few moments of silence passed before he responded. "A part of me always knew that it was you guiding me all this time. But it wasn't the marking jutsu that guaranteed my allegiance to you, my Lord. In fact, my loyalty to our clan, and to the fearless leader that it had lost, had nothing to do with forbidden or sacred techniques. Forgive me, but somewhere in my heart, I really thought you knew that."

"Yes," Ikari took another step towards where his son stood, surrounded by a hazy wreath of pallid light, "and somewhere in my heart, I think that I did. But I stopped listening to my heart a long time ago. And now, buried beneath all the mistakes, all of the cruel and needless actions, is the humanity that I willingly sacrificed, the humanity and the love that I once felt for my clan, for your mother, and for you – Son."

Kitai paused, seeming to wait for his father to reach him. The boy's voice betrayed no emotion – just as Ikari had taught him. But it was now only just above a whisper. "Everything you sacrificed was for the sake of our clan, my Lord. Your dream was to bring peace to the Land of Frost, and only the Iyoku Clan could ever be strong enough to maintain that peace."

Ikari chuckled, but the emotion he felt was now closer to disgust than amusement. "So you're still falling for my propaganda, eh? No, Kitai, my true goal was never to attain peace in this land. It was always to attain supremacy. I thought the Iyoku Clan to be the strongest and purest of all the others. Worthy of not only ruling this land, but of ruling every country in this pitiful shinobi world. However, I now know that the only truly pitiful thing was my deluded sense of pride. We lost everyone at the hands of a clan that fights not just with honour, but with humanity. And I in my arrogance saw the Hatake's greatest strength as a weakness. I deserve none of your allegiance Kitai. You are already stronger than I have ever been. You were strong enough to see heroism where I only saw folly."

The young man shook his head slowly. His voice was now firm. "I will never have anything other than respect for you, my Lord. It's true that in my final moments, I also came to respect Kakashi and the Hatake Clan. I realised that, blinded by revenge, our clan could no longer achieve the glory it had sought. And it was this decision that led to all of our fellow clansmen's deaths. But I truly do not think that this was ever what you wanted. You wanted the Iyoku name to live on forever, not die out in one final act of shame – a poor attempt at self-redemption. But anyway," Kitai smiled ever so slightly, "none of that matters now. I came here to escort you on. To the place where Mother, and all of our family – all of our clan – are waiting."

Ikari returned the young man's smile before saying, "Lead the way, Son. I have a lot to say to them – a lot that I need to apologise for."

Kitai bowed his head in acknowledgement of his father's words. And then, after a few moments, he looked up and their eyes met; silver on grey. Kitai's voice was soft and his tone impenetrable. "Will Kakashi Hatake be joining us, my Lord?"

A slight smirk played about Ikari's lips. "Hmm, that's an interesting question." He paused for a moment, allowing the smirk to linger as, at length, he went on. "No, something tells me that the Copy-Ninja still has a few more battles left before he finally meets his match."

His son's expression didn't change, but Ikari was able to tell that a part of the boy was pleased by the fact that Kakashi Hatake was still among the living, for the moment at least. Well that damnable Hatake had bested even him. It would take a shinobi with nothing less than godlike abilities to finally bring the Copy-Ninja down. Or at least, to avoid feeling the shame of his defeat so keenly, Ikari couldn't help but hope so. But that speculation wasn't important now. And before they both moved on together, Ikari had one final thing to say to his son.

"Kitai…" he began firmly.

"Yes my Lord?" the boy answered almost instantly.

The Iyoku Clan's former leader then met the eyes of his successor. Gradually, Ikari's stern face softened as he gave his next command. "Call me Father."

The Iyoku then placed one hand on his son's shoulder, as Kitai returned his smile. And this smile did not leave the boy's lips as gradually he responded, "I would be honoured to, Father."

* * *

The first sensation that returned to Kakashi was a feeling of warmth. Well, not warmth as such, but he could tell that the surface beneath him was no longer the bone-chilling ice that'd coated the Land of Frost's natural terrain. However, other than this, there was no way of knowing whether he was still trapped in that accursed place. His body was numb, as it had been then – save for that gradually infiltrating feeling of warmth. His eyes were too heavy to open – meaning that the unrelenting darkness surrounding him had still not lifted. And no clear sounds were managing to reach his ears. There were no more hazy snippets of conversation with vaguely recognisable voices. Right now, there was nothing but that warmth. There was something strangely insidious about it, and yet – at the same time – it somehow let Kakashi know he was safe. Or at least beyond further pain.

However, that was when his numbness suddenly began to fade. And that almost imperceptible warmth that'd only moments ago been soothing him, suddenly became a rampant, seething heat that seemed to burn through his flesh and simmer in his blood. The Jonin felt his body begin to convulse. That was when he once again heard those distorted, frantic voices. Then there were hands holding him down. They weren't strong enough. And then more hands. They were.

Kakashi still couldn't open his eyes, but he fought to regain control of his body. He couldn't remember much right now, but he knew that the ones restraining him were not his enemies. He didn't want to hurt them. However his body was acting on its own. It was clear that blood loss was not the only side effect of lying unconscious for hours, wounded on the freezing earth. But as expected when suffering from hypothermia, Kakashi's mind began to resist all further coherent thought. And he drifted back into oblivion once more.

What must have been hours passed in the dark. Until eventually, he heard someone say, "I think he's stable now."

This time, Kakashi's mind was somewhat clearer. And he found himself able to recognise Sakura's voice. She sounded exhausted, and immediately the Copy-Ninja felt guilty that he'd forced her to use so much chakra in order to keep his condition from deteriorating any further. But he supposed that it couldn't have been helped. After all, his friends had clearly decided that they wanted to bring more than just his body back to Konoha. And he had to admit, he understood where they were coming from.

The next voice he heard originated from another entirely unmistakable source. "Isn't that what you thought last time, Sakura-chan?"

Kakashi could almost feel the kunoichi glaring at Naruto, and her response was clearly made through gritted teeth.

"Yes, well, this time his core body temperature hasn't just dropped below twenty-eight degrees. So he's definitely not going to go into hypothermic shock again."

This comment was greeted with an uncomprehending silence on Naruto's part, before the Genin eventually replied, "So… that means Kakashi-Sensei's going to be alright?"

This time it was Sakura's turn to pause. And when she responded, it was in a quiet, somewhat defeated voice. "I just don't know, anymore. I've done everything I can."

This mournful statement did nothing to curb Naruto's enthusiasm, as he quickly replied, "Then there's no way it can't've been enough! All we've got to do now is get him safely back to Konoha! You just rest now, Sakura-chan – we're nearly there, right?"

The Chunin's voice now sounded a touch less depressed, but her tone was still quite dubious. "Well, we'll be back in Fire Country soon – though we're not out of Hot Water just yet."

Kakashi then heard Sai's distinctly deadpan voice as he addressed the young medic. "Was that a joke, Sakura-chan?"

A moment of confused silence followed – in which Sakura had clearly decided not to dignify this query with an answer. After a while, Sai said quietly to himself, "I guess not."

The Copy-Ninja smiled. Well, in his mind he did; he was still far from able to control his body. But at least they were getting closer to home. And at least this time, his body felt neither frozen nor on fire. Briefly he wondered how his friends had managed to find him. Well, it couldn't have been that difficult. And judging by what he'd overheard, they had also encountered the three remaining Frost ninja – and thus been at least somewhat filled in on the situation. Hopefully after hearing just what Ikari Iyoku was capable of, they now understood why Kakashi had wanted to face him alone, without putting any of their lives at risk.

And when he felt his awareness starting to slip once more, the Copy-Ninja did nothing to fight it. He now felt safe among his students and friends. In fact, the only concern of his that was still ever increasing, was the growing knowledge of where he was inevitably going to end up when this journey was over. And the only thing separating him from that inescapable destination was an indeterminable stretch of thoughtless, yet comforting oblivion.

However, all good things eventually come to an end. But at least this time his release from the long, healing darkness was gradual. He had plenty of time to adjust to the low humming that was slowly infiltrating his senses. Clearly, it was being generated by whatever machine the Hokage had decided to use in order to spare him the trouble of breathing. Although fortunately, this was no longer necessary. And so, seeing as he couldn't detect anyone else's presence in the room, Kakashi decided that this would be a good time to remove the now redundant oxygen mask, and slip back on a somewhat more familiar one.

Slowly the Copy-Ninja opened his eyes, and even more slowly, his whitewashed jail cell came into focus. Immediately Kakashi cringed, and for once it wasn't simply because of the painfully uninspiring décor adorning Konoha Hospital. Well actually in truth, the décor was partially to blame. Because as the stark white walls reflected and magnified the relentless glow of the mid-morning sun, the Copy-Ninja found his head throbbing in time to the wall-clock's equally agonising beat. But still, the Jonin refused to let his lids slide closed once more – as instead, he began casting about for his sleeveless uniform shirt.

And by some stroke of luck – or perhaps a rare act of benevolence on Tsunade's part – Kakashi found what he was looking for hanging over the back of the chair by his bed. He reached out a hand – grimacing as his bandages shifted over the burns still covering his arms – and he then pulled the mask shirt towards him. Kakashi looked down at the comforting navy-blue object, wondering exactly how to proceed. He realised that several days must have passed if he'd now managed to regain at least some mobility, but he was painfully aware of the fact that sitting up on his own was still very much out of the question. This was mainly because of his chakra depletion, but he doubted that his heavily bandaged chest – or rather the partially healed injuries that lay beneath – would have helped much either. And so the Jonin was left to wonder whether, rather than trying to help him, Tsunade had actually placed his shirt so close just to taunt him, as he had no way of actually donning it right now. Well, he certainly wouldn't have been surprised. After all, considering everything he'd done, the Hokage had absolutely no reason to be feeling charitable towards him right now.

But just as Kakashi was beginning to despair, he heard the sound of wood sliding against wood, and knew that help had finally arrived. Although the chakra he could sense, along with the fact that his visitor was clearly not going to bother knocking, let him know exactly who had come to see him. And just how helpful this person intended to be would depend entirely upon whether he was still pissed off with him for stealing his medical supplies. Well, Kakashi had also saved the man's life – surely that had to count for something.

And fortunately, it did. At least if the pitying smirk adorning Asuma's face was anything to go by. He had one eyebrow ever so slightly raised, and his voice was rather cheerful. "Hey Kakashi, good to see you looking a bit better. Well, comparatively anyway."

The Copy-Ninja gave a small smile, inclining his head slightly in his friend's direction. He imagined that he certainly did look better than the last time he and Asuma had conversed. However, Kakashi still wasn't entirely sure of whether vocalisation would be pushing his physical boundaries a bit right now. He opened his mouth to speak, but his throat was refusing to yield any coherent sounds. Although, unlike the most recent time he'd found himself in this position, his vocal chords were not actually injured. No, this was simply the effect of spending however many days hooked up to a respirator. Unfortunately it tended to leave one a bit parched.

Upon realising this latest inconvenience, Kakashi's smile faded to a plaintive stare in his old friend's direction, which naturally only caused Asuma's grin to widen. And when the man spoke, it was in a voice that was quite unashamedly filled with amusement. "A bit thirsty, eh Kakashi? Well – I'd love to help, but I'm sure the Hokage would have a thing or two to say about that."

Kakashi glared at his friend, forcing the next sentence through a throat that felt only marginally better than when he been choked half to death by Tei Iyoku's reanimated corpse. "Since when… do you care… what the Hokage says?"

Asuma chuckled, but somewhere in the man's eyes, the Copy-Ninja saw genuine concern. Although the bearded Jonin managed to perfectly suppress all traces of it in his voice. "Fair point… Alright, I won't tell if you don't tell."

The Copy-Ninja gave a conspiratorial grin, but then Asuma's voice took on a slightly more worried note.

"Although," he began dubiously, "in that position you're probably just going to choke on it. And I definitely think that sitting might be a step too far – considering you've only just opened your eyes for the first time in three days."

The Copy-Ninja met Asuma's sceptical stare, and he could already feel his parched throat beginning to burn from even this minimal use. "I don't know… what my eyes… have to do with… my ability to sit up."

The Jonin smirked. "Well I imagine that Mangekyo of yours had more than a bit to do with it." The man then sighed. "But fine, to be perfectly honest, I came here to talk to you about something – and that's really not going to work if you can't manage more than half a sentence at a time."

Kakashi said no more, waiting for his friend's desire to have this mysterious conversation to overcome his reluctance to help him. And after a few moments, it did. Although the Copy-Ninja was somewhat surprised by just how much resistance his body showed to the act of sitting. He tried to hide it, but when Asuma hesitated halfway through the motion of helping him into an upright position, Kakashi knew that the man had noticed how much he was struggling.

Once again, concern was evident on his face. And this time he made no attempt to hide it. "Okay, maybe this was a bad idea. Look, I'll come back another time – when sitting up doesn't seem like enough to make you pass out."

The Copy-Ninja gritted his teeth. His friend had something important to say, and he'd be damned if he'd let his own weakness stop the man from saying it. But as pain began to radiate through his exhausted body, Kakashi only managed one word.

"No."

Asuma sighed, rolling his eyes as he did so. "Fine then. It's your funeral."

Kakashi gave a weary laugh as his friend then helped him the rest of the way. "Not… yet," he responded with a smirk.

Then at last he was finally upright – meaning he could finally drink. And so Asuma picked up the glass of water from beside his bed, and held its cool surface to his lips. Kakashi let the liquid slowly soothe his burning throat, until at last he felt able to have a conversation in which he could manage to generate more than one word per second. But before this enigmatic conversation could begin, there was something else that he needed Asuma's help with. And so Kakashi turned his attention back to the garment lying uselessly in his lap, and fortunately he was now able to vocalise his plight.

He smiled, "I don't suppose you'd mind helping me get my shirt back on, Asuma?"

The elder Jonin chuckled. "Shouldn't you be asking whoever undressed you to do that?"

Kakashi gave an exaggerated sigh. "To be honest, I'm not even sure who did it this time."

"Well," his friend grinned, "I guess some things never change. Come on then."

The Copy-Ninja smirked – although this expression was promptly wiped off his face as Asuma actually began to help him on with his mask shirt. He knew the man was trying to do it carefully, but – like most Wind Element users – Asuma had never really mastered the gentle touch. In fact, by the time his shirt and mask were back in place, Kakashi wouldn't have been surprised if half of the wounds on his upper torso had reopened, not to mention the burns on his arms. Though fortunately, despite this feeling, no such thing had happened. But the Copy-Ninja had still been left panting. And considering that it felt more like he'd just had his skin ripped off than his shirt put on, this wasn't really surprising.

Naturally, Asuma seemed to find the entire situation wildly amusing. He gave a sly grin. "Sorry about that, Kakashi. Hope it wasn't too rough for you."

After catching his breath, the Copy-Ninja calmly met his friend's complacent stare. With a small smile, he replied, "Well, that was just a shirt. I'd hate to imagine what Kurenai has to go through."

That was quite easily enough to replace Asuma's smug gaze with one of obvious fury. Kakashi decided this might be a good time to move onto a more important subject. Not that he currently knew what this subject would be. But it wasn't every day that Asuma Sarutobi came looking for a heart to heart. And so, after allowing his friend's look of indignation to fade back into one of indifference, Kakashi gestured for him to sit down.

The bearded shinobi ignored the chair positioned next to the Copy-Ninja's bed and decided to perch instead on the edge of the bed itself – as he almost always did when visiting him in the Hospital. It was clear that Asuma wasn't quite sure how to start, and so after a few moments, Kakashi said, "So, what did you want to talk about?"

His friend scratched his head uncertainly, before giving a slightly embarrassed smile. "Well you see…" he diverted his gaze away from Kakashi's inquisitive stare, "it's like this…"

But, before the man could proceed any further, there was a polite knock at the door – which then promptly slid open to reveal Kurenai's slender form. The kunoichi gave a small smile in her not-so-secret lover's direction before softly saying, "There you are."

Asuma now looked somewhat uncomfortable and as he remained silent, Kakashi took it upon himself to respond. "Oh, Kurenai… what's up?"

Only then did the kunoichi seem to actually acknowledge his presence in the room. She gave him a cursory smile before saying, "I heard Asuma was here."

The Copy-Ninja sighed internally. Since when had his Hospital room become the rendezvous point for clandestine love affairs? He gave a small smirk. "I see…" With one eyebrow still ever so slightly raised, Kakashi turned back to his friend. "So where were we, Asuma?"

The bearded Jonin's face had suddenly become serious. However this only lasted a moment before his impassive expression returned. His eyes remained fixed on the floor as he spoke. "Nah, there's no rush, it can wait 'till next time. Later, Kakashi."

The Jonin promptly moved to rise – leaving Kakashi wondering what exactly had stopped him from proceeding, as well as what he'd actually been about to proceed with. But then, Kurenai's rather brusque voice stopped him. "Wait, you mean you still haven't asked him? What the hell have you been doing all this time?" She gave her partner a reprimanding stare. "Seriously Asuma, can you not even do one simple task by yourself? You were the one who said you wanted to do it alone!"

The Jonin looked at the kunoichi defensively, sounding somewhat put out. "Hey, is that any way to talk to your…" he broke off, looking suddenly sheepish as if he'd just remembered Kakashi was in the room.

The Copy-Ninja gave a cheerful smile. "Your fiancé…?" he finished for his now beetroot friend.

After a few moments of clear speechlessness on both of the affianced shinobi's parts, Asuma spluttered, "Wait… you knew? How the hell…?"

The man shook his head in disbelief, before slowly turning to Kurenai with a slightly accusatory stare.

She glared at her partner impetuously. "Don't look at me!" The kunoichi then sighed. "You know it's pointless trying to hide these things from him. I wouldn't be surprised if he knows about our other piece of news as well."

Kakashi's smile faded into an expression of sincerest perplexity. "You mean there's more?" He then shifted his innocent gaze to Kurenai's midsection for a moment before meeting Asuma's now narrowed eyes. "Oh, do tell."

Kurenai blushed slightly and was about to speak when Asuma cut in sullenly. "He knows."

Kakashi's perfectly blameless expression didn't falter for a moment. "I'm sorry, you lost me. What exactly do I know?"

He only just managed to suppress a smirk as both of his friends rolled their eyes. And eventually Asuma spoke, "Well, I suppose we may as well get used to saying it. After all, give it another month or so and I'd imagine nothing less than a genjutsu is going to fool people."

Kurenai gave an exasperated sigh before turning to Kakashi. "Fine then – not that there's any point because you clearly know anyway – but here it is."

The Copy-Ninja leaned forward slightly in mock anticipation as, after a long, deliberative pause, Kurenai finally admitted what Kakashi's Sharingan had told him weeks ago.

She held his gaze unflinchingly, before rather abruptly saying. "I'm pregnant."

Kakashi's eyes widened. "No!" His face then filled with the most earnest look of confusion he could muster. "Whose is it?"

By this point, Asuma seemed to be very seriously considering the prospect of throttling him. The man spoke through gritted teeth. "Whose do think it is, you idiot?"

Kakashi allowed a shadow of a smirk to play about his lips. "Well…"

"Actually don't answer that," his friend interrupted bitterly.

Then, Asuma's soon-to-be spouse touched one hand to her forehead in clear exasperation. "If you wouldn't mind acting your age for one moment, Kakashi, maybe we'll actually be able to move onto the matter that we came here to discuss in the first place. It's probably a good thing Asuma hasn't asked you yet, because if you make one more idiotic comment we might just change our minds."

The Copy-Ninja flashed her a disarming smile. "Oh come on Kurenai – we both know I was joking. After all, I doubt Asuma would have ever let you out of his sight long enough for it to be anyone else's."

The Jonin in question shot a dangerous glare in Kakashi's direction, prompting the Copy-Ninja to move on rapidly. "Okay seriously then, what is it that you guys wanted to ask me?"

Both his fellow Jonin were silent for a moment before Kurenai finally answered. "Alright Kakashi, but this is not a joke."

The Hatake's face became absolutely serious. "I know," he responded quietly, and this time both could see that his sincerity was genuine.

And so the kunoichi went on, in a slightly tentative voice, "What we came here to ask you… It's about our child…"

But she didn't get to finish. Because as soon as those words left her lips, the most inappropriate intruder imaginable suddenly burst into the room – beaming radiantly as he declared in an inconceivably exuberant voice, "Oh Rival! You're having a child? Congratulations! And with Kurenai, how wonderful!"

The Copy-Ninja simply stared at his friend, while Guy's wildly euphoric grin remained fixed irremovably to his face.

But before he could advance a step further, Asuma's voice – now just a touch away from being murderous – cut through the Green Beast's ecstatic greeting.

"That child is most certainly NOT Kakashi's, Guy. It's mine."

There was a moment of silence as the bearded Jonin's words slowly seeped through Guy's bowl-cut sporting head and gradually into the brain that presumably lay somewhere beneath. "Oh…" the man responded, seeming at a momentary loss for any further verbosity. Kakashi tried not to chuckle at the quite perceptible hint of disappointment in his friend's voice. Guy rubbed his chin thoughtfully before continuing in a clearly unabashed tone, "Well, if there's some dispute here, I'm sure that our honourable Hokage with her medical ninjutsu will be able to resolve it in no time."

Asuma's jaw dropped and Kakashi felt that now might be a good time to set the record straight – before the furious father-to-be did something that would land the Copy-Ninja with a bill to repair some hefty structural damage to Konoha Hospital.

He met his rival's eyes and made sure not to allow any ambiguity in his choice of words. "Guy, let me make things perfectly clear. That child is not mine, that child never has been mine, and I am fairly certain that that child never will be mine."

Kakashi then saw Asuma and Kurenai share a brief but meaningful glance. As he found his suspicions slowly being confirmed, the Jonin knew that it was time to continue with the discussion they'd been having before his 'Eternal Rival' had interrupted.

"Anyway," he went on, once he was sure that the confusion had been cleared up, "I was actually discussing something quite important with Asuma and Kurenai – in private – before you came. But feel free to come back later, Guy. I appreciate you visiting."

The Green Beast looked at each of the three of them in turn, before a grin that was at least vaguely comprehending spread gradually over his face. "As you wish Rival. I will most certainly come back later. And we can discuss that challenge that you promised to devise for me."

Kakashi smiled. "Ah yes, I did, didn't I? Last time you came to visit me."

Guy nodded emphatically.

"And speaking of that last visit," Kakashi went on calmly, although his face had now grown a little more serious, "I wanted to thank you. You did what I asked of you, even though I never told you why I needed you to do it. Well, come back later and I will tell you – everything. But for now I just wanted to say thanks, Guy. In the end, it was your unquestioning trust in following my instructions that pretty much saved my life."

The Green Beast beamed at him. "It was my pleasure, Rival! But now I shall leave the three of you to your undoubtedly important business." The Jonin turned to go, but as he reached the door he turned back to Kakashi once more and smiled proudly. "Oh and I also followed your other instructions, Kakashi. I never told the Hokage that those Rogue Ninja you faced back then had actually been from the Land of Frost, and had been trying to hunt you down for killing one of their relations – who was in fact still alive."

At this moment, it was all Kakashi could do not to hold his head in his hands, as – with utterly incomprehensible timing – another figure appeared in the doorway. Her tone was no less furious and no less deafening than the Copy-Ninja had been expecting. And his headache easily tripled as her voice reached his ears.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?"

Kakashi sighed, wondering why Guy had even bothered using his discretion in retrieving the headband to save his life, when his indiscretion was now about to get him killed.

Tsunade's face was bright red. He'd known that she was going to be furious with him for breaking out of the Hospital, and he'd assumed that she would by now have been filled in on his background with the Land of Frost, but this added revelation would almost certainly double the telling off he was about to receive. And before Guy could even apologise for his mistake, the Hokage continued.

"I knew it! I just knew it! You think I can't tell when I'm being lied to, Hatake?"

Kakashi decided it would be wise to treat this question as rhetorical and allow the Sannin to continue venting her fury – at least while she was still only doing it verbally.

"Lying to the Hokage, breaking the orders of a previous Hokage, breaking out of Konoha Hospital, showing complete disregard for your own life and for the fact that it is your duty to defend this village – rather than to go chasing old enemies – and for what? So you could get closure on a issue that was closed over a decade ago? All for revenge?" Tsunade's face remained filled with fury, but there was disappointment in her searing gaze as well. Her next words struck the Copy-Ninja like a physical blow.

"Quite frankly, Kakashi, I expected more from the son of Konoha's White Fang."

"Tsunade, that's enough." This firm statement promptly preceded the next arrival's entrance into the room.

It was Jiraiya. Tsunade turned to glare at him, but her fellow Sannin didn't flinch. Then, after spending a few moments locked in this silent face-off, Jiraiya's eyes began to sparkle and a small smirk found its way onto his lips as he spoke. "Look, we all know the kid's got some pretty serious explaining to do. But why don't you just save it for his debriefing, which I assume won't be happening until you've seen fit to release him from his current state of curative captivity." The white haired shinobi then gave a raucous chuckle. "It's a good thing your medical ninjutsu's better than your bedside manner, Tsunade – otherwise I doubt the kid would have made it. And you know better than anyone how much of a close call it was, so how about we move this party outside and let Kakashi rest for a while? And you can leave your punishments for when he can at least fight back a bit – I imagine it'll be more fun that way."

The Sage then winked at Kakashi before striding cheerfully from the room.

"Thanks…" the Copy-Ninja muttered dryly as the old man left. If that'd been Jiraiya's idea of a helpful speech, then he would've hated to see the Sannin trying to make things worse. But at least it might just get everyone out of the way for a bit. Because if he had to endure forced bed rest for goodness knows how long, he'd rather it was actually relaxing – at least until he was in good enough shape to demand his release, or failing that, break out.

He then heard Tsunade give a long sigh, before she too turned to leave, saying as she did so, "Don't think this is over, Brat." She then paused, and for a moment Kakashi wondered exactly what was passing through her mind. In the end she simply said, "Well, insubordination aside, I'm glad you're still alive, Hatake."

Kakashi then watched as the Hokage left the room. He wondered whether he'd ever be able to properly explain all that had happened. Well at least he still had some time to adequately compose his story. Although right now, there were other matters to attend to.

Guy looked at him with a painfully tragic expression. "Oh Rival! Will you ever forgive me for what I have done? I was so blinded by the pride of my accomplishment that I committed the very transgression I had so painstakingly tried to avoid. I am truly ashamed – please, I beg of you, give me the harshest punishment that your wisdom can devise!"

The Copy-Ninja rolled his eyes, while in the background he heard Asuma and Kurenai chuckling to themselves. Kakashi then met his rival's tear-filled gaze and said solemnly, "I'll tell you what Guy, leave me alone for a few hours and I'll consider the matter settled."

The emerald clad Jonin's face broke into a joyous grin, and as he took a step towards Kakashi's bed, the Copy-Ninja began to fear that he might soon be on the receiving end of one of his friend's bone-crushing hugs. But fortunately Guy managed to control himself. Then – still tearfully mumbling incoherent accolades about his rival's benevolent heart and limitless compassion – the man finally left the room.

After that, silence settled on the three remaining shinobi. A minute or so passed before Kakashi decided to speak. "So…" he began casually, "you were saying?"

Now that the conversation had been brought back to the original topic, Asuma seemed to grow somewhat uncomfortable, and he spoke rather hurriedly. "You know what, I think Jiraiya was right. Maybe we should just let you rest. Um… we can finish this another time."

But fortunately, before Kakashi could protest, Kurenai saved him the trouble. "Oh for Gods' sakes Asuma! You were the one who told me you wanted to ask him personally, and now you're too scared? Well, if you're going to be so pathetic about it, I'll just do it myself." She met Kakashi's eyes. "Okay then, it's like this…"

"No." Asuma's confidence seemed to have suddenly returned. Kurenai gave a triumphant smirk as her fiancé prepared to speak.

The Jonin's tone then quickly returned to the effortlessly casual one that they were all used to. "I'll do it. I was never scared… the interruptions just ruined the mood, is all."

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Just hurry up with it, would you? Before my hair starts going grey."

Asuma gave him a thoroughly unamused look before continuing. "Okay, fine… Kurenai and I have something we'd like to ask you."

Kakashi refrained from commenting that he'd gathered that much already. The time for sarcasm had passed; his friends were about to ask him a very serious question. There was a brief pause, in which the Copy-Ninja waited for Asuma to continue. Which after a few more moments, the elder Jonin did.

His voice was sober, but he couldn't quite keep a smirk from playing about his lips. "This child of ours. It's going to be a boy – or so Tsunade says. And Kurenai and I were thinking, if anything happens – well we were hoping… If something ever happens to us, we want you to help take care of him. So, I guess what we're saying is…" Asuma met Kakashi's eyes – and the man's gaze was now filled with a depth of emotion that only a prospective father could have, "we would be honoured if you'd be our son's godfather."

Kakashi gave a mischievous grin, knowing that the couple had almost certainly just made a huge mistake. But it was too late now, and so for his friends' sakes he managed to school his face back into a serious expression. And all of the sincerity in his heart was clearly evident in his tone. "It would be my pleasure."

Asuma and Kurenai smiled at one another, blissfully unaware that the Copy-Ninja was already planning how to ensure that their child had access to the most appropriate of reading material. But he certainly wasn't going to ruin the moment by stating this fact. And so, the Jonin just smiled as his friends thanked him. Then finally, the happy couple left the room. Leaving Kakashi alone for the first significant amount of time since his return to consciousness.

Lying there in the safety of Konoha Hospital, after having been surrounded by his friends and comrades, the Copy-Ninja still couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. He was resting here in comfort, while Ikari Iyoku had been laid to rest on an icy slab somewhere within the desolate recesses of the Land of Frost. The clan leader's passing would be celebrated, not mourned. And his body would most likely be devoured by the country's vengeful elite; desperate to learn all the secrets that the remainder of the Iyoku's being had to yield. It was a dismal fate for a man who, in his final moments, had truly managed to achieve the greatness he'd always sought. Once he'd finally found the right places to look. And with this thought, Kakashi smiled.

He knew that through the compassion he'd ultimately allowed himself to feel, Ikari Iyoku had earned the right to pass on to a higher place. A place where finally he could open his eyes to the light, after walking in darkness his entire life. And once there, the Copy-Ninja also knew that his one-time enemy would be able to finally release his burden of hatred and revenge once and for all. Or at least, in the end, this is what he truly felt that the man had come to deserve. And Kakashi's final thought before passing into a restful slumber, was the hope that he would see Ikari Iyoku again some day, if he ever managed to join him in that hallowed, far off place. Then perhaps they'd greet one another as something other than bitter enemies. Perhaps they would finally greet each other as comrades. Or maybe even as friends. After all, the story of vengeance between them would have long since been settled.

And so, indeed, Kakashi smiled, even as he welcomed the darkness once more.

* * *

This was a story of vengeance and a story of hate. However, it was also a story of loyalty and honour, duty and compassion, and love that transcends death – until no true hatred can remain. Because it may be true that revenge is a force that conquers from without; infiltrating the body and mind of its chosen victim. But love is a power that comes from within. A power of the heart – the one place that hatred can never ultimately reach. Meaning that if one still holds anything truly dear to them in their heart, revenge can never fully take root. And so it would seem that – in the end – this was never really a story of vengeance at all.

**~ End ~**


End file.
